Of Banjos and Lawn Mowers

 

"I'm playing the guitar!"  Elise said dramatically, to anyone who would listen.

"Interesting," I said.

Then, Elise picked up a fly swatter and began to gently strike the strings of the guitar with the flying insect killing device.

"I've never heard anyone play a guitar with a fly swatter before," Vincent commented.

"Beautiful, isn't it?"  I asked and got no answer.  In fact, the silence was fairly deafening.  "Vincent, do you know the difference between a banjo and a lawn mower?"  

"You can play music on the banjo?"  Vincent hazarded a guess.

"No," I said.  "You can't tune a banjo!"

"That doesn't make any sense," Vincent said.  "You can't tune a lawn mower."

"You can tune the engine of a lawn mower -- tune it up," I said.  "Anyway, it is more of a joke making fun of banjos than it is a statement that elevates those who play law mowers in the orchestras across our great land."

It is interesting how easy it is to identify someone else as "other."  Whether it is violinists calling violists slow or the rest of the orchestra making fun of banjo players, it is all too easy to make fun of someone else.

Paul told the Galatians "For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.  There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female; for ye are all one in Christ Jesus." (Gal. 3:26,27)

The point, of course, is not that everyone is exactly the same.  Oboists, violinists, and even accordionists all have different talents and yet all are accepted with God on the basis of Jesus' atonement.

Our tendency is to exclude other groups as not worthy of the kingdom, or simply needing to clean things up before they can enter in.  Instead, God makes it clear that His grace is broad enough to reach all groups -- even musicians who play guitars with fly swatters.