My youngest son, Noah, is a percussionist and is playing the tenor drums in the high school marching band this year. He had a week of percussion camp in June and two weeks of band camp in July to prepare for this year’s show. Though he has played various types of drums over the years, this is his first year on the tenors. I couldn’t wait to watch him perform on parent preview night. I thought he did a wonderful job and was pretty impressed with his performance.
Although I love watching and listening to Noah, he plays just one part of the rhythm. There are also snare drums and bass drums. There are also instruments that play the melody. My niece plays the mellophone, and still others play the saxophone, clarinet, flute, trumpet, trombone, tuba and other instruments. While every instrument has a part to play, not every instrument plays constantly through each song. They simply play their part at the right time.
In addition to the marchers with instruments, there are also other band members as well. There are drum majors, the color guard and the band director. These members do not play instruments but each of them has an important role as well.
Each band member has talent, and each has a specific role. They all work together to play the music and to march to the choreography for the show the director has chosen. The musical composition cannot sound they way the composer intended if certain instruments are missing. The field formation cannot look the way the choreographer envisioned if there is not a marcher for every spot. If all of the drums or all of the trumpets decided not to perform, the music wouldn’t sound right, and the formation wouldn’t look right. Even just one missing person could make a difference.
The director chooses the drum majors, the marchers, the music and choreography. He arranges the members in the best formation for the show. He explains their roles, provides their uniforms, equips them with their gear and leads them to work together in unity for the common cause.
And so it is with the Church body. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 12:14-20: “For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, ‘Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,’ that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, ‘Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,’ that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.”
Each member of the body has an important role. God chooses us and arranges each member as He sees best. He clothes us in the full armor of God, equips us with gifts and talents and leads us to work together in unity for the common cause of Christ. We need each other to accomplish the work God gives us, and when each person listens to His commands and does what He says, His beautiful plan falls into place with ease.