What's Your Passion?
I grew up in a musical family and my earliest memories are when my father’s side of the family would get together and play music together. I was fascinated with how every instrument would compliment one another to create this sound. So I had the passion of music early on. If you are a musician there has been a cartoon going around that pretty much explains it. It reads. “ Musician” the only people I know who spends $5000.00 for equipment, loads it up in his $500.00 car, travels for 5 hours to the show and plays for 4 hours for $50.00. Musicians are the most passionate people I know. The love for playing music consumes you.
There are many levels to being a musician. Either you want to play music for fun or you want to earn money for playing music. When you decide to play music for money you are putting your self out there because the competition is brutal. When I first went to Nashville, a friend of mine who played piano for George Jones told me when you get to Nashville. “ YOU FIND OUT HOW GOOD YOU’RE NOT” which scared me to death. I learned to play all instruments by ear not by the note. So me not being able to read music I thought I was defeated but then he said find your niche. I went on the road for 3 months and off for two weeks and back out on the road and repeated the process for 10 years. I have slept in “Band Houses” “Motels” “back rooms where I would not even let my dog sleep now. But for the love of the music I did it and did not even flinch.
I know no other profession where people would say “I would love for your band to come and play for X event next weekend, it will be great exposure for your guys”. You would never ask a plumber to come out and fix your problem and say I will make sure my entire neighborhood will know of your service. You expect them to do a job for a fee. People don’t understand that for a band to play any event there is travel time to the venue, time for the band to set up equipment, and then sound check, which is normally 2 hours prior to start time. The next step is to play for 1 or 2 hours for the EXPOSURE and then you get to tear down all the equipment and then travel back home. So for a job from 12 till 2, you start at 9am and you get home about 4pm, but your only playing for 1 maybe 2 hours is what the promotions person tells you even though that is an 7 hour day for the musicians. There is a great line in a Travis Tritt song that says “Why's the rich man busy dancing while the poor man pays the band”.
I say all of this because of the passion I have for playing music. I have gone through all of these scenarios and lived to tell about it. When you see someone playing at a club, beach restaurant, or on a street corner, they are there because the love for what they are doing is outweighing any obstacles they are facing.
What is your passion? Would you do almost anything at almost no pay just to pursue it? That is what Jesus asks us to do, is pursue him with passion. Be devoted to him, draw close to him and trust him.
Colossians 3:17 “What ever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of Lord Jesus”.
Romans 8: 28 “ And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose”
Ok, So what does this all mean? What ever you are passionate about is the purpose according to his will? Regardless of the passion you have it can be used to further the kingdom. Sometimes just being nice to someone or helping someone in need is a gift. God uses everything and every one for his kingdom.
As James says in Chapter 1: 25 “But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard but doing it---he will be blessed in what he does.”
Are you using your passion to further the kingdom?
Your reward in heaven will be waiting.
God Bless
Mike