Why Should I Sing?

I turned 8 in the fall of 1982 and felt increasingly more confident about my identity as a follower of Christ. I slowly paid less and less attention to mockery thrown my way and, interestingly enough, the ridicule lessened. Furthermore, as a member of the local chapter of Boy's Brigade, I began to have more things in common with other boys.

It felt good to be accepted into their fellowship!

So, since those boys weren't known for their love of singing, I naturally hesitated to reveal my voice to them. At the time, my voice was a clear, high, and beautiful (so I've been told) boy soprano and I was convinced that, if heard, the boys would call my voice a girl's voice. With that in mind, I kept my voice close to a whisper in their presence whenever singing was involved for fear of being discovered and losing the sense of belonging I had worked so hard to attain.

Yet, singing was such a major part of my makeup and DNA that I felt as though as I was lying to myself and others.

Well, I was lying to myself and others . . . and God!

How does a fish pretend not knowing how to swim?
How does a bird pretend not knowing how to fly and twitter?
How does a lion pretend not knowing how to roar and hunt for its prey?

Neither could I pretend not having a voice for very long. On a Saturday afternoon during a Boy's Brigade meeting, I went to the restroom and absentmindedly began to sing a new song my older sister had just taught me. As I opened the door to leave, my chef d'escouade (the squad leader) was standing opposite the restroom with a surprised look on his face.

"Was that you singing in there?"

"Yes," came my hesitant reply.

"You have a beautiful voice!"

A polite smile was all the response I could provide. He was one of the kindest men I have ever had in my life. He could see that I felt embarrassed. Being a wonderful bass singer himself, he pressed:

"Why are you keeping your voice a secret? You should sing for us."

It was the first time that I opened up a little to another human being about how I was or might be perceived by others. He listened for a bit and reminded me that in a few short years I would lose the soprano range but that my voice would still be a gift from God. He reminded me that there was no guarantee that I would be alive at puberty; my vocal gift ought to be used in the present.

Through him, I learned that I should use my singing to worship God and edify others. He told me that his eyes always smiled while singing because he wanted to use his voice to love God and people, and that I should do the same.


What a wonderful lesson!

My 8-year old brain and heart did not fully grasp all the implications of his words but his encouraging words did convince me to see that I should sing and that I should sing with all my heart, all my soul, all my strength, all my life.

I have been singing ever since.

Master, help me to praise You with everything I am and have. You deserve the absolute best effort I can exert, the costliest sacrifice I can make, the most vulnerable part I can reveal, the most fragrant offering I can present -- and all that regardless of my abilities and limitations. Help me to follow You with all of myself for You are my all in all. Amen.