To play or not to play

"Therefore I will play music before the Lord"

2 Samuel 6:21

We went to a friend's house for dinner a few weeks ago.  We had a great meal, and wonderful conversation. 

We mostly just sat talking, and laughing; enjoying each other.  Watched a little TV, too. 

One thing that didn't happen, was piano playing.  That's not really a surprise; how many people do that when they visit with friends?  I mean some, to be sure, but it's hardly to be expected.

But our friends have a piano.  And I have a daughter who plays piano.  Frequently.  And at the time of our visit, it had been several days since she had played.  A combination of homework, household chores, volleyball and sickness had kept her from sitting down and tickling the ivories.

So when I walked into their living room, and saw that piano, I briefly wondered if my girl was missing the piano.  And I even thought of suggesting that she play theirs a little bit.  She probably would have loved that, as our piano is not quite in tune.  And I don't even mean playing us all a tune, just sitting down and playing some of the things we love, while we sat out in the other room and talked.

But I knew she wouldn't play with all those people there.  She sometimes hesitates to play, even with just me in the room.  Either she's that private, or has that little confidence in her playing.

It makes me a little sad, though.  Her ability to play the piano is a gift.  I can't do it, or if I do, I struggle to get out Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star or some such.   And yet she doesn't really want to share her gift. 

Why are we like that?  Many of us are.  I think we see others who are better at something we're pretty good at, and it skews our perspective. 

I know sometimes we truly aren't aware of our gifts.  But I'm not talking about those circumstances.  I'm talking about when we deliberately ~ albeit for what we think is a good reason ~ hide our gift from others.  I'm not sure it's outright sin.  I think more than anything, it's fear.  Or a lack of faith, or maybe a lack of appreciation for how He has gifted us.  Which, of course, are sins, now that I think about it. 

Maybe growth is good enough, though.  Maybe He sees that little by little, we are growing in our confidence.  And even if He knows that it will be many years before my daughter is comfortable playing in front of people, maybe it's enough that He knows it will bless someone someday.  After all, He sees all of us as we will someday be. 

~ "He who has begun a good work in you

     will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ" ~

Philippians 1:6

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