'Be Perfect'

Yes, I know – Jesus says this in the Beatitudes, but does he really mean what we think He means?  Never making a mistake?  Is your team ‘perfect’ in that way?   I have never known a praise team that never makes mistakes, and it would frankly scare me to find one.   And I, personally, have made tons of mistakes on the platform.  Does that make me ‘imperfect’?

In school, I often got an A+.  On one occasion I got an F- because I just didn’t understand the subject matter.  I was a perfectionist, and it killed me to make a mistake on a school assignment.  This personality trait made me extremely tense and self-concious.  As I grew older I learned to accept the fact that I would make lots of mistakes, and that God could even use those mistakes, for my betterment. 

Jesus knows we’re not going to be perfect here on earth – His plan for us, as chuch musicians as well as people, is for us to really want God’s kingdom here on earth, and to be used by Him to bring it about.  I believe this type of ‘perfection’ is loving God perfectly, and wanting what He wants – perfectly. 

Now back to the team, and to music.  Music is a ‘living, breathing’ thing – it never happens twice the exact same way, unless, of course, you’re playing a CD, or a YouTube.  That’s exactly what makes live music so exciting – that’s exactly why people feel so engaged when a praise band is leading them into the act of worship.  I’ve had team members come to me after church and say, “ we normally don’t take that last repeat, and we did it today.”  I’ve had drummers start the song in the wrong meter.  I’ve had lead guitar players forget their solo riffs. 

Here’s what I think – what happens during a worship service was meant to happen.  That’s a pretty bold statement – since none of us are perfect and ALL of us will make a mistake one day.  If the musical ‘mistake’ is extremely distracting, it’s most likely showing the need to change something next time.  There are, of course, things like lightning storms which can reek havoc on our sound system – and we have no control over those things.  However -- God can even use seemingly horrendous events for the good. 

If we have prepared our hearts and our music for worship, and make a mistake somewhere, it will show us – and our congregation – that we are most certainly not perfect, and that’s fine.  In fact, it’s WONDERFUL to realize God uses very imperfect people --  who seek to bring His kingdom on earth -- to accomplish amazing things for His glory and honor.