Pastor’s Corner: “First Chair”
1 Peter 3:15 (ESV) – 15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord
Leonard Bernstein, the famous conductor of the New York Philharmonic was once asked, “What is the hardest instrument to play?” Without a moment of hesitation, he answered, “Second fiddle. There are plenty of first violinists, but it is hard to find someone who is willing to play second fiddle with enthusiasm. This is a huge problem because if I don’t have a second fiddle, I don’t have harmony.”
If you are struggling to find harmony in your heart and life, you might want to check to see who is in the FIRST chair. Can I tell you a little secret? As long as you are trying to play first chair, there will never be peace. The Lord is first chair. He MUST be in control in order for you to be at peace. The Christian life is all about playing second fiddle. It is all about the back seat. Jesus is the Lord and Master, the One who drives and plays the lead. We are to yield to Him and let Him take control of everything in our lives. When He is truly set apart as Lord in our heart, then and only can we start to experience his love, joy, peace and power, and true harmony. Colossians 1: (NIV) – 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. When Jesus is not first in our lives, things start to unravel.
In the story of Mary and Martha (Luke 10), Martha loved to play first chair. She had an advanced degree from Control Freak University. As she was busy cooking an elaborate dinner for Jesus, her sister Mary slipped out of the kitchen to sit at the Lord’s feet and listen to His word. Martha was furious! She told Jesus to tell Mary to get back in the kitchen and help her. She told Jesus what He was supposed to do. She took the lead and began to call out the orders. It is always a bad plan when you start ordering God around. With love and grace, Jesus told her that she was worried and bothered about so many things that did not even really matter. She needed to let Him lead so that the peace and joy Mary felt would come to Martha also. Ephesians 1:22-23 (NLT) – 22 God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. 23 And the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself.
Jesus doesn’t want to be just part of our life. When we give the Lord just a portion, then we are telling Him there are other things we consider at least as important as He is. Do you know what the Bible calls this? Idolatry. Jesus never called people to give Him a try. He called for full surrender: “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me” (Luke 9:23). We can’t squeeze Jesus into one segment of our life and continue living as we please. If we’re truly His, then Jesus is our life. HE IS TO BE IN FIRST CHAIR. Remember, when you give Jesus first chair (control and lead), you do not lose your life but you gain your best and most beautiful life in complete harmony with God. This is what you were made for. Galatians 2:20 (NLT) – 20 My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
God is waiting for you to make the choice today to move from the driver’s seat to the passenger’s seat. We are here on this earth to glorify Him; it is all about Jesus. “For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body” (1 Cor. 6:20). We do that by letting Him have complete control of all. Why not stop right now and evaluate what seat you are sitting in? Do you need to turn in your violin for second fiddle so that harmony can come to your life and people can see Jesus in you? Remember: live so that if people get to know you, they will get to know Jesus better. Live so that when you tell someone you are a Christian, it confirms their suspicions instead of surprising them.
In His Grace,
Pastor Hamilton