I wrote last week about some small amount of progress in my golf game, but, of course, the real subject is progress in the Christian life.

I’m pleased to report experiencing God’s grace in a situation that years ago I wouldn’t have taken so well. I think I am finally growing in flexibility. Maybe it’s also holy indifference.

This past Saturday I was to play piano – prelude and postlude – for a friend’s memorial service scheduled to start at 10a. When I arrived as directed for a 9:15a soundcheck, there was no sound man and no piano! I was told the sound man was “on his way,” and that we would be using a keyboard. At 9:50a, the sound man arrived and said there was no way they could put a piano out there. I said, “I understand we can’t move a piano, but surely we can set up a keyboard.”

Apparently having a piano (or keyboard) was not a value for the pastor or the sound man. Long story short, I helped set up the keyboard, and we were ready to go right at 10:00 (for a 10:00 service!). We did the “soundcheck” as I was playing a quick prelude.

Anyway, we got through it, and I am pleased to have grown in flexibility over the past decades. June said, “Musicians must be flexible.” It’s growth in the fruit of the Spirit, specifically, peace, patience, and gentleness. I didn’t flap internally or externally. The widow wrote to say, “You were so patient and grace-giving about the piano not being there.” For all that I’m grateful.

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1.5 – 8, NIV)