The touch of the Master's hand
I was just watching a video link a friend had posted that moved me. It is a video clip of woman performing on the 'Britains got talent' show. What really moved me was the reaction of the audience by this woman's appearance. Notice the audience's and the judge's response to her prior to her performance and the change that was wrought on them as she sang.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY
It reminded me of one of my favorite stories: The touch of the Master's Hand.
'Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer
Thought it scarcely worth his while
To waste much time on the old violin,
But held it up with a smile: "What am I bidden, good folks," he cried,
"Who'll start the bidding for me?"
"A dollar, a dollar"; then, "Two!" "Only two?
Two dollars, and who'll make it three?
Three dollars, once; three dollars, twice;
Going for three—" But no,
From the room, far back, a gray-haired man
Came forward and picked up the bow;
Then, wiping the dust from the old violin,
And tightening the loose strings,
He played a melody pure and sweet
As a caroling angel sings.
The music ceased, and the auctioneer,
With a voice that was quiet and low,
Said, "What am I bid for the old violin?"
And he held it up with the bow.
"A thousand dollars, and who'll make it two?
Two thousand! And who'll make it three?
Three thousand, once, three thousand, twice,
And going, and gone!" said he.
The people cheered, but some of them cried,
"We do not quite understand
What changed its worth." Swift came the reply:
"The touch of a master's hand."
And many a man with life out of tune,
And battered and scarred with sin,
Is auctioned cheap to the thoughtless crowd,
Much like the old violin.
A "mess of pottage," a glass of wine,
A game—and he travels on.
He's "going" once, and "going" twice,
He's "going" and almost "gone."
But the Master comes, and the foolish crowd
Never can quite understand
The worth of a soul and the change that's wrought
By the touch of the Master's hand."
How quick that crowd was toss her aside like an old violin, scarcely worth their time. We are very human and prone to error in our judgement as the worth of someone or something.
I will leave you to ponder the connections between the two. It was a beautiful reminder.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY
It reminded me of one of my favorite stories: The touch of the Master's Hand.
'Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer
Thought it scarcely worth his while
To waste much time on the old violin,
But held it up with a smile: "What am I bidden, good folks," he cried,
"Who'll start the bidding for me?"
"A dollar, a dollar"; then, "Two!" "Only two?
Two dollars, and who'll make it three?
Three dollars, once; three dollars, twice;
Going for three—" But no,
From the room, far back, a gray-haired man
Came forward and picked up the bow;
Then, wiping the dust from the old violin,
And tightening the loose strings,
He played a melody pure and sweet
As a caroling angel sings.
The music ceased, and the auctioneer,
With a voice that was quiet and low,
Said, "What am I bid for the old violin?"
And he held it up with the bow.
"A thousand dollars, and who'll make it two?
Two thousand! And who'll make it three?
Three thousand, once, three thousand, twice,
And going, and gone!" said he.
The people cheered, but some of them cried,
"We do not quite understand
What changed its worth." Swift came the reply:
"The touch of a master's hand."
And many a man with life out of tune,
And battered and scarred with sin,
Is auctioned cheap to the thoughtless crowd,
Much like the old violin.
A "mess of pottage," a glass of wine,
A game—and he travels on.
He's "going" once, and "going" twice,
He's "going" and almost "gone."
But the Master comes, and the foolish crowd
Never can quite understand
The worth of a soul and the change that's wrought
By the touch of the Master's hand."
How quick that crowd was toss her aside like an old violin, scarcely worth their time. We are very human and prone to error in our judgement as the worth of someone or something.
I will leave you to ponder the connections between the two. It was a beautiful reminder.
posted by Lynette at
9:40 PM
3 Comments:
Thank you Lynette, for sharing that. Jeff & I watched the clip last night, and were got emotional during it. Thanks for the great reminder about the touch of the Master's hand.
I saw that video clip. I felt truly humbled by it, and thought how much we forget or take for granted until we are inspired not by what we see, but what we hear.
Lynette, What has happened to your posts!! Now school has started it may be longer! Mom
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