Cymbals and Drums.

 I remember as a child that there had been a toy available for children. It was a simple mechanical toy which usually resembled something like a clown or a gorilla and it was playing a musical instrument of sorts. Usually a base drum or a pair of cymbals.

There was a length of string sticking out of the back of the toy and the idea was that you pulled the string out and then the toy would start bouncing, jumping and clanging about and playing the little instrument. Little toddlers and babies usually loved these toys as they produced a visual and audible reaction that made the children giggle.

After the toy became battery operated a large company that made batteries did an advertisement that compared different brands of batteries against their own to see which toy would bounce about the longest.

Over the years as I got to learn a little about human habits and human nature I often though about this toy, and how humans can resemble it so much. Someone would say something to someone else and, as if someone had pulled a piece of string, they would rant off on some well rehearsed answer and reaction to the comment that was made.

Some shop assistants would occasionally do it when we tried to return an item. “Hello, I’d like to get a refund on this item please". "Do you have a receipt?” Clangity clang, bouncy bouncy, beat the drum.

Some bosses would sometimes do it when we would ask for unofficial time off. “The needs of the business, fellow workmates, TEAM player.” Clangity clang, bouncy bouncy, smash the cymbals.

Even our own personal relationships didn’t escape this string pulling. “Could you make me a cup of tea, love?” “Honestly, I’ve been rushed off my feet all day doing the washing, cleaning and then I had to ……”. Clangity bounce, beat the cymbal, smash the drum.

Christians can be notorious for it. Sometimes people would try and cover their shortcomings with an idiom like “I may be standing in Holy ground but I’ve still got some mud on my shoes….” Clangity ching, Bang crash.

Or something like “we can be so heavenly minded that we would be no earthly use….” Bangity clash. Jumpity jump.

But a lot of times the ordinary people that surround us do not need clichés or rhetoric. Church workers and volunteers who do solitary jobs around the place especially need a validation of some kind. Those unsung heroes who do the cleaning, bus driving, and tidying up the gardens need to be included in everything.

We tend to reserve our accolades and smiles for the choirs and music groups, Preachers, Ministers and Elders of our fellowships. But it’s not too often that we hear an announcement from the pulpit asking for a vote of thanks, or a round of applause for the little band of volunteers who came in and cleaned the carpets or washed the windows this week.

In the book of Proverbs ch19 we read “….⁽¹⁷⁾One who is gracious to a poor man lends to the Lord, and He will repay him for his good deed.

In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul said ⁽¹⁾Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.

John Bunyan said “You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who can’t repay you.”

As we live our Christian lives our Bible and Faith becomes everything to us. But sometimes, I believe, it’s not totally everything. We are more than that in the Body of Christ. For, our friendships and personalities also play a very big part in it too. We are sometimes judged by the company we keep. (Here’s a little experiment – Take a look down the list of all your recent phone calls and contacts. How many of those calls are with Christian friends?)

So, get to know those people who come into the church early to get it heating on and say Hi to them. Find out who the cleaners are and go and say “hello” to them. Not some rehearsed response like “It’s cold today, isn’t it?” Or, “Keep up the good work”. But go and actually say Hi to them and start to build a friendship.

Make an effort to actually get to know them. Is this their family church? How long have they been around church circles? Have they any other friends or interests in common with you? I have several very good Christian friends and we never met through church. We got to know each other through work, social activities and hobbies and became really good friends.

 Romans ch12 ⁽⁴⁾ For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, ⁽⁵⁾ so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.

 

 1 Corinthians ch12 ⁽¹³⁾For by one Spirit we were all baptised into one body - whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free - and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.

Those people who work quietly in the background of your church, or indeed, any other church nearby? They are all just ordinary people like you and me and just want to be included in the friendship circle. So, go and say Hello.

I love this family of God,
So closely knitted into one,
They've taken me into their hearts,
And I'm so glad to be a part
Of this great family.
And I love you with the love of the Lord
Yes, I love you with the love of the Lord.
I can see in you the glory of my King,
And I love you with the love of the Lord.

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