BE LIKE CHILDREN

I once came across this fascinating story that I couldn't help but find a powerful message out of it. So allow me to share it with you.

A man sat at a metro station in Washington DC and started to play the violin; it was a cold January morning. He played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, since it was rush hour, it was calculated that thousands of people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.

Three minutes went by and a middle aged man noticed there was musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried up to meet his schedule.

A minute later, the violinist received his first dollar tip: a woman threw the money in the till and without stopping continued to walk.

A few minutes later, someone leaned against the wall to listen to him, but the man looked at his watch and started to walk again. Clearly he was late for work.

The one who paid the most attention was a 3 year old boy. His mother tagged him along, hurried but the kid stopped to look at the violinist.

Finally the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. All the parents, without exception, forced them to move on.

In the 45 minutes the musician played, only 6 people stopped and stayed for a while. About 20 gave him money but continued to walk their normal pace. He collected $32. When he finished playing and silence took over, no one noticed it. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the top musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth 3.5 million dollars.

Two days before his playing in the subway, Joshua Bell sold out at a theatre in Boston and the seats average $100.

This is a real story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station

was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and priorities of people. The outlines were: in a commonplace environment at an inappropriate hour: Do we perceive beauty?

Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize the talent in an unexpected context?

One of the possible conclusions from this experience could be: If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing the best music ever written, how many other things are we missing?

My conclusion to this is : How many times do we miss the presence of God in our lives.

I'd like to break this story down bit by bit and reveal something powerful from it.

We are always in a hurry to get or go to some destination. We also do this when we are in church.

"Three minutes went by and a middle aged man noticed there was musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried up to meet his schedule." (Some people would walk pass the house of God "church" and somehow feel that there is something happening inside, but they would just carry on and go where ever they are headed to and not get in and feel the love of God.)

"A minute later, the violinist received his first dollar tip: a woman threw the money in the till and without stopping continued to walk." (This woman represents these Christians whom when they are at church, in the presence of God, they give their offering with out even acknowledging the presence of the Holy spirit. They give offering just because they feel it's part of procedure. They think their offering is everything, they think by just going to church and it's time for offering then they give it's all done, but God wants a relationship with they. He wants intimacy with you.)

"A few minutes later, someone leaned against the wall to listen to him, but the man looked at his watch and started to walk again. Clearly he was late for work." (This man represents some of the Christians that when they are in church they always looking at their watches wondering when will the service finish because they probably need to be somewhere else after the service. In that manner that person is not entirely there and will not really feel the presence of God and won't hear Him speaking to him, may not receive what God has for him that day)

"The one who paid the most attention was a 3 year old boy. His mother tagged him along, hurried but the kid stopped to look at the violinist." (This is the part I'm more interested on and that caught my heart, it reminds me of the book of Matthew 19: 13-14: 13  Then little children were brought to Jesus, that He might put His hands on them and pray; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them. 14  But He said, Leave the children alone! Allow the little ones to come to Me, and do not forbid or restrain or hinder them, for of such [as these] is the kingdom of heaven composed.

This whole story in my conclusion it revolves around this scripture. That we should be like children, be patient, kind and pay attention into every little detail that may mean nothing to someone old or grown up.

It's amazing that out of all the people that were walking past this violin player, it's only the kids that paid more attention to him yet they surely didn't know him and that he may be the greatest violin player. It is the same with Christians, you'd expect them to know and notice and feel the presence of God, but they'll be in too much of a hurry to notice or pay attention.

Jesus said the Kingdom of Heaven is for such (as these kids). Let's be like children before God, be eager to listen to Him, long for his presence. Let nothing else matter but to sit at His feet.

No one knew who that Violin player was really, they even did not notice when he was gone. Sometime we don't notice that God has left us, why? Because we do not pay attention to Him. "IN THE 45 MINUTES THE MUSICIAN PLAYED, ONLY 6 PEOPLE STOPPED AND STAYED FOR A WHILE. ABOUT 20 GAVE HIM MONEY BUT CONTINED TO WALK THEIR NORMAL PACE. HE COLLECTED $32. WHEN HE FINISHED PLAYING AND SILENCE TOOK OVER, NO ONE NOTICED IT. NO ONE APPLAUDED, NOR WAS THERE ANY RECOGNITION." We get into church and give offerings that we think are all that is required of us, and we don't take time and seek the face of God. We are always in a hurry.

But there will be a day that we will realize that God has been in our mist yet we did not realize it. I can imagine how some of these people felt when they came to realize that this violin player they walked pass on the station is the greatest violin player in the world, and that they could have heard him play for them just for free. Now they must have a ticket to enter just to hear him play the same song in the Arena. How would it feel to come into realization that God has been there beside you yet you did not pay attention, now that you need to hear Him speak you realize that it is too late. You have been busy with your daily earthly things, sin and you never took time to give your life to God. You shall seek people to preach the gospel and it would be too late.

Be like Children, they pay attention to every little detail. Pay the same attention to God and His word. Then the Kingdom of Heaven shall be yours.