A to Zed: Thoughts on faithfulness in small things

A to Zed

 

“Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might . . .”

–Ecclesiastes 9:10

 

My friend David and I were walking along the street in Juba, the capital of South Sudan. (Another story in itself). We spotted an African wearing a ZZ Top T-shirt.

David, who had spent most of his adult life as an African missionary, said, “How in the world did a Zed Zed Top t-shirt get to South Sudan?

“No, David, it’s ZZ Top.”

“No, in the British colonial world, Z is called Zed.”

“As in A to Zed?”

Yes, as in Zed Zed Top.

Now this is probably the only inspirational blog you’ll read including the Texas Blues band ZZ Top, but the following story is too good not to share.

ZZ Top guitarist Billy Gibbons tells it, “Early in our career, no one knew who we were.  We were playing at a small venue in Texas, and came on stage and one man was sitting in the audience.  One man. One single fan.” 

It was a moment of decision.

“We plugged our guitars in, turned up the amps and gave that man two hours of loud Texas Boogie.”

Gibbons said in the years to come and the band was played large arenas in that part of Texas, the one man would approach the stage and hold up one finger, “Hey Guys, remember me?”

 

Here’s the  lesson: all of us want to be on the big stage, but are we willing to play our song in the quiet background?  Where there aren’t thousands of adoring  fans, but one single man sitting in a folding chair.?

Playing to audience of one.

In my life, I also play to an audience of One.  I seek to please God and let everything else fall in place.  That’s why my Life Verse*  comes from the very mouth of Jesus, “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and all these things shall be added unto you.”

So plug them up and play away.  Whatever you do, do it with the best you have.  Solomon said it so well: “Whatever your hand finds to do it, do it with all your might.”

 

‘His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things.’ ’” 

  – Jesus’ Parable of the Talents as found in Matthew 25:23.

 

*Everyone should have a life verse. Mine is Matthew 6:33. 

What is your life verse? I’d love to hear from you.