OK - so I'm a bit of a beginning blogger and have not developed my "blog-o-rhythm" yet. I intend (promise would be a big commit at this point) to do better and post more often from here on out. I will do better, I will do better...
This is an interesting story to me.
A very popular world class violinist playing a $3.5 million Stradivarius in a subway station is basically ignored.
There's a lot of layers to this, but it immediately makes me think of the power of context and expectation.
The same guy in a concert hall with a huge expectation level from his audience transfixes everyone. And gets paid really well.
Creating great context is so important. Going to great lengths to make church great is all about creating a context for people to be touched by God. Romantic context matters (listen to me boys). Going into our prayer closet is about creating a context to hear from God. Great context makes a huge difference.
The power of expectation is big as well. No one expects world class music in a subway station. So they rush on by.
Made me think of trying to witness on Bourbon Street in New Orleans as a new believer. It wasn't really a great context to have a meaningful conversation. The "Jesus freaks" were just as much a part of the show as the strippers.
Create great context for great experiences in order to live well.
Keep your expectation level high. God is able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all we can ask or think.
10 comments
i'm glad you took the time to blog this thought - i found it very relevant. i heard this story on NPR and the anchor wondered if he was doing it to see if anybody would recognize him - i tend to think that he wanted to see if he was able to communicate outside of his sphere... and this is where context comes in to play.
Posted on April 13, 2007 at 8:24 PM
to me, some of the greatest moments of my life have been where unexpected brilliance walk into my life. i love to be smacked with beauty in an ugly place or find a treasure where none supposedly exists. i hope i can always be present, ready for beauty and life. it is about your perception.
it's there. it's the remembering to look for it that gets away from us.
and blogging can become another task. it's so hard to be so cool sometimes.
Posted on April 14, 2007 at 7:36 PM
What a super cool thing to do- this blog thing...thanks for allowing us these personal glimpses. Watching from afar gets rough- this makes home seem that much closer...blog on(blog...who came up with that word, anyway?!
Go forth
and set
the world
on fire.
-St. Ignatius Loyola
(my own personal spin on pyromania)
The Rock, the Rock, the Rock is on fire!
-The Bloodhound Gang
(did they say "roof"?...I think they meant Rock...
Posted on April 16, 2007 at 5:39 PM
Hmmm...
You surpassed yourself on that post. Thanks for the moment.
Posted on April 16, 2007 at 7:20 PM
I appreciated the line you quoted on Wed-about authenticity being the new apologetics. I completely agree. It is the antidote to religiosity. It is real emotion and reaction and joy and it helps others believe. Authenticity is what I have often found missing from the RELEVANT ministry-if you are trying to be relevant, then, you aren't! People want more than a cool image. Because that is so easy to achieve these days. Knowing all the right music and discussing all the trendy topics does not FINALLY make the church cool. I think it's when we are ourselves, warts and all, loving God and caring about others-that's where people end up asking our opinion and coming to us with their concerns. They believe that God is real, because we are.
Posted on April 19, 2007 at 8:28 PM
You da man...call me sometime just to say hey. 509-552-3256-Durbin...please free to give my number out to anyone who knows me.
I live in WA state now.
Also-e-mail me at
durbindavis@yahoo.com
Posted on April 22, 2007 at 3:30 AM
Intentions eh? Hmmm...
Posted on April 22, 2007 at 8:16 PM
what happened to your blog-o-rhythm?
Posted on April 24, 2007 at 3:01 PM
Amazing post. I loved it so much, I had to "borrow" the idea and blog about it as well. (I gave you credit though)
If we do not put the message we have in the proper context, it will get lost in the noise of everything else going on.
substance - wrong context = noise
substance + right context = connection
Posted on May 1, 2007 at 8:59 AM
Or hard hearts? People do not hear what they do not expect to hear. People do not hear what they do not want to hear. If people always need context, how does one explain the cowards of the Bible who became rulers? The anointing surpassed death threats, weakness, and personal failures. There is nothing wrong with a show, but what happens if we miss the obvious?
Posted on August 26, 2007 at 8:49 PM