The Great What If
Many years ago I taught high school music. This required intermittent performances throughout the school year. Music has never been difficult for me. I love it, I understand it, I can do music….what I struggled with was making order out of chaos with groups of teenagers. Sometimes tuning and timing were issues but that isn’t the point. Getting permissions slips signed, reservations made, timetables reasonable, students in compliance with bus seating charts WAS THE PROBLEM!
I am a fairly organized person. My life requires this, it’s not rocket science, it’s survival and I wish to continue forth successfully. Allow me to give you a window into my organizational/ leadership crisis as it applies to adolescent students.
“Students, we will leave tomorrow afternoon at 3:25 to sing at the senior citizen’s center.” said Mrs. Rooney gently.
Student 1 interrupting, “Mrs. Rooney, Mrs. Rooney! WHAT IF I have a sore throat?”
“Just move your mouth, we won’t put undue stress on your vocal chords, just be ready to leave after school.”
Student 2 loudly from the bass section, “Mrs. Rooney, Mrs. Rooney! WHAT IF I stub my big toe, get an infection and my mom can’t get me an appointment until 3:15.”
With a hint of impatience, “Please wear you steel toed boots when in the upright position until after tomorrow’s performance.”
Student 3, “Mrs. Rooney, Mrs. Rooney! WHAT IF my great aunt Bertha gets the flu and Uncle Joe can’t stay with her because he has a flat on the ole’ chevy and I have to go get him after school?”
With great exasperation, “I am no longer taking any ‘WHAT IF’ questions. We will leave tomorrow afternoon at 3:25 to sing at the senior citizen’s center.”
Trying to make a plan and carry it out in the midst of everyone’s hunger for an assurance that no matter what, everything is going to be okay and the leader knows best was exhausting.
I have since left the Egypt of high school and arrived the in the Canaan of Kindergarten. Five year olds are much more willing to hear a sound plan and stick to it without question. However, I have recently found myself responding to God’s call with a “WHAT IF!” God’s call is simple. “Obey Me, Trust Me, I will provide.” I am old, I lead others in faith, God has never, NEVER! failed me. Still, my instinctual response to God’s precious voice is, “BUT WHAT IF”…..what if my family thinks I’m crazy? What if I can’t pay my bills? What if my children need me and I can’t go? These are legitimate concerns and yet, I know, MY GOD IS ABLE, so why does my heart pause and say, “WHAT IF?”
Moses in his own way asked many times “What if?” when he was called to return to Egypt and deliver God’s enslaved people to freedom. Peter had an earth shattering “WHAT IF” on the night Jesus was arrested. The Biblical narrative is story after story of people crying out for God’s reassurance and God’s answer is, “Follow Me, obey Me, Trust Me. I love you!”
The greatest faith is the faith of a child reaching up to hold a hand. When I am walking my little line of turtles, (have you ever seen small children loaded down with backpacks traversing sidewalks looking every direction but forward?) across campus and I feel five little fingers touch mine it is wonderful, it is trust and I am faithful to their need. So, WHAT IF I reached up and took the hand of my Father and never turned loose? He is faithful to my need so I think I will.
Peace Be With You!
Gretchen