THE PARABLE OF THE TRAVELLING COLLECTOR OF MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
A long time ago an inveterate traveller and collector of musical instruments from all over the world heard for the first time a musician playing a violin. He had never seen or heard such a wonderful sound and was unknown in is own country. As was his practice he purchased one and received some lessons in how to play it, although not very well.
After he returned home from this particular journey, he excitedly told his friends about this new instrument he had found and the beautiful and enchanting sounds it could make. They all gathered expectantly for an evening at his home to hear it played. Unfortunately, he had received only the most rudimentary instructions and had not practiced. The sounds that emerged were more like a cat in pain! His friends were polite but as they left, they were heard to comment that who would want to purchase or learn to play such an instrument. The violin was rejected and never took root in that place, rejected not on the best example of its potential but its worst!
Sometimes ideas and truth are rejected not on their true merit but on a bad example. Often the Christian faith suffers from this same problem. That is why we always need to point people to Jesus in the Gospels, his life and teaching.
Peter Corney.
