Plannel Shirts & Red Guitars

Over Christmas, my sister-in-law Clara and nephew Louie participated in a Christmas service at their home church, Grace Church, in Nashville, TN. Thanks to the magic of livestream, my family and I were able to be apart.  Louie sang Christmas carols as part of a children’s choir.  He looked handsome dressed in a fancy black shirt as he sang his heart out. It was cute. Clara made music with the band The Henningsen’s and sang a Carol of the Bells medley (that has a mingling of Oh Come Let Us Adore Him in it) from their Christmas album. Musically it sounded great but I mostly appreciated how she closed her eyes and simply worshipped Jesus. I did along with her. Previously, I may or may not have sung Oh Come Let Us Adore Him at the top of my lungs in worship a few times in my life 😀

In between watching and singing along, I noticed a musician on the platform. He caught my eye because he was wearing a “plannel” shirt I would wear. My wife and I coined the term “plannel” as a flannel shirt with plaid designs on it. I own a closet full and basically live in them. He was playing a bright red electric guitar.

An example of a “plannel” shirt with my sleepy Figment stuffy sleeping on the shoulder.

I pondered him and his electric guitar. He played it well. I didn’t think, “Wow, that’s an amazing guitar and I’m impressed how nice it sounds,” but instead thought, “Wow, that’s an amazing guitar, the guitarist is playing it so well, and look at that guitarist and his lovely plannel shirt!”  The guitar, as great as it was, was just a guitar. Sitting on its stand before the service, it just looked pretty. But, in the hands of that well dressed guitarist that guitar made beautiful Christmas music that made me marvel at the guitarist not the guitar.

I think we are all different kinds of instruments like that red guitar. When God, the Master Musician, picks us up He can make heavenly music through us for the world to hear, be it a kind smile given, an encouraging word spoken, a helpful act done, or literal music like Clara and Louie! It’s okay to notice and admire the instrument but it’s important to see the Musician and honor His greatness.

Ephesians 2:10 NASB, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”