Return of Scriptures for Musicians

We constantly talk about the need to read scriptures in context. We talk about how to fully understand them correctly, we need to understand the verses around a particular passage. We need to know the story the verse is sitting in.

I’m always reading this or that criticism of our church which is based on taking a scripture out of it’s context and re-interpreting it. That’s not good.

But every once in a while, as I’m reading, a verse will jump out at me and tell me something that makes me think. And it’ll take me somewhere totally different than the rest of the context around it.

That happened to me again the other day as I was reading the D&C, in section 117. A part of verse 13 reads: “…And when he falls he shall rise again, for his sacrifice shall be more sacred unto me than his increase, saith the Lord.”

So, in some cases, sacrifice is more valuable to the lord than increase. Or, in terms I can understand, effort is more important than results.

Well, now that’s a great discovery. That means that if I work hard at my music. I try to be the best musician I can be, and I try to get the (hopefully) inspired messages of my music to people who can be touched by it. If I put in the effort I can, without neglecting my family and my callings, then that is more valuable to the Lord than how many concerts I play to how many screaming fans, or how many CD’s I sell.

It’s just a reminder of where the priorities must lie.

MRKH
Mark Hansen
http://markhansenmusic.com