CYBERCOLUMN:
An ear to hear
___By Berry D. Simpson
___U.S. News & World Report recently contained an article describing what researchers are asking about music: Why is music important to human beings?
___Some level of appreciation for music seems to be hardwired into each one of us;
however, there is no evolutionary benefit for music. Why is something so "useless" to our existence so universal? The researchers didn't know.
___The article reminded me of something that happened several years ago.
___Two college friends invited Cyndi and me over to hear them play their guitars. We were suspicious from the beginning because those particular friends weren't known for their ability to carry a tune.
___Our suspicions were confirmed. They sang with enthusiasm and energy and strummed those guitars with passion. They used, as best as I could tell, the correct fingering for each chord. On a silent video it would have been wonderful.
___Only it wasn't silent. The guitars were not in tune with themselves or with each other. In fact, they were so out of tune, it was hard to believe it wasn't done on purpose for special effect. At least one string per guitar was so loose it just flapped and rumbled.
___The thing is, of the dozen or so people in the room listening, only Cyndi and I were hurting. Everyone else had a great time. They enjoyed the enthusiasm of the performance, and they were proud that our mutual friends had the courage to try something new.
___I left the room that day wondering if having an ear for music was a blessing or a curse. If I hadn't studied music for 20 years, I might have enjoyed the guitar performance more. If I hadn't trained my ear to recognize whether a note was in tune (and I'm not very good at it even now) I could have enjoyed and appreciated the courage of our friends. Instead, Cyndi and I just tried to get out of the room as fast as we could before someone asked our opinion.
___Fortunately, no one has to be a musician to enjoy music. It seems to satisfy a universal need in all human beings. Just like the need for God--another aspect of human life that seems to be "useless," yet universal.
___Oswald Chambers described how we hear the call of God in our lives, comparing it to one who hears the call of the sea. "No one hears it except the person who has the nature of the sea in him."
___I have never heard the call of the sea in my life. I've heard the call of the desert and the call of the mountains, but I doubt I'd recognize the call of the sea if it were broadcast over loudspeakers.
___But what about the call of God?
___Is it possible I might not recognize God's voice when he calls? What if I have no more insight into the voice of God than my friends had into guitar music? They didn't know they were out of tune; what if I don't know I can't hear? What I mean is, am I limited to minor appreciation of the voice of God because of my spiritual tin ear? Can I get better?
___If my friends took guitar lessons from a professional teacher and spent hours listening to recordings of guitar playing, they would get better. The technical aspects of music can be taught to anyone, but the ability to hear is what makes the difference. Can that be taught? It's hard to know.
___And as far as hearing the call of the sea--I can imagine that if I lived near the coast for some years and learned to sail I could at least develop an appreciation for the sea. Maybe I would eventually hear the call of the sea in my heart. Can that be caught? It's hard to know.
___But regarding the call of God--well, that's easier to know. When it comes to God's voice, we have the Holy Spirit training us from the inside, opening our ears, tuning our hearts. He does all the work if we will only turn to him.
___The sea doesn't care about me. Music doesn't care whether my ear is good or bad. But God cares a great deal, and he will pursue me relentlessly so I can hear his call.
___ Berry Simpson, a Sunday School teacher at First Baptist Church in Midland, is a petroleum engineer, writer, runner and member of the city council in Midland.
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