walking traits. I try to take the long view that if I
with my calling and gifts given? Did I keep faith
don’t need to be justified by a record company
with Him? Part of the reason I still want to do
then I also don’t have to accept their pink slip
this as long as I can is the still-elusive notion of
when they’re no longer in roster-love with me.
finally doing it right.
Still, with all of the lunacy (my own and others),
I had a unique and rare opportunity to get a
There’s a part of me that thinks, as I reread the
shot at my lifelong dream. And even though it
preceding paragraphs, “Bennett, this is just
didn’t go the way I thought, it did enable me to
you on the eternal quest for the ‘Attaboy’. Most
last long enough to be able to transition into the
people would love to have the chances you’ve
new era I find myself in.
had and would probably do a much better job
with them.” I’d be less than candid if I didn’t at
I may have mentioned in a previous column
least run that up the flagpole as a possibility.
something I’ll cite again. We, who are
I’ve half-jokingly and half-seriously said for
Christians and musicians, are involved in an
many years that there are lots of people much
enterprise that has two things pushing and
more qualified to be “Bob Bennett” than I am.
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pulling on us at the same time. What we do,
by definition demands attention. “Hey, look at
But what I hope to mostly communicate is a
me.” But it also demands our awareness of the
reminder that disappointments in people and
dynamic Jesus puts into play in Luke 14:7-11.
institutions, even ruthless self-disappointments,
To paraphrase, He suggests that you sit in the
are all part of the trade off we deal with because
humble seat and let your host advance you to
we get to do something few people ever get
the more honorable seat. Perhaps “host” could
to do. People who work on a loading dock
be extrapolated to mean the Lord Himself,
all day long go home sore from work. If they
or even the audience that
pays you their attention and,
occasionally,
their
money.
Or to offer a different word
picture ... you can angle for a
seat upgrade at the boarding
gate but you can’t just get on
the plane and sit in first class
on your own.
There is no doubt that there
was a period in my life where
“making it” was the big
dream and the focus. “I’ll
only $29.95 per
year
have aches and pains, why
[ ...you can
angle for a seat
upgrade at the
boarding gate
but you can’t
just get on the
plane and sit
in first class on
your own. ]
be the most benevolent and
not us? Why would we, as
Christians and as musicians,
be exempt from sometimes
being sore at the end of a
workday (or Work Sunday
Morning)?
Obviously, the only shot we
have to “get past” any of it
is to keep our eyes on Him
Save when you bundle
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the Adolph Agency
Who is Faithful. The One who
knows all the secrets, blind
spots, and eccentricities that
both inform and sometimes
sensitive of CCM Stars, Lord. I’ll use my power
hinder our abilities. The One who will listen to
and influence wisely and compassionately for
us even when we’re wrong and spoiled and
the Kingdom.” But unless I get to have some
quite undeserving. The One who promises to
sort of “Tony Bennett-Style Comeback” where
finish the thing that He is started: the salvation
the kids take a liking to me even though I’m
of our very souls in this life and the life to come.
a cultural relic from a time long, long ago,
He is the Overcomer. May He bind up our
“modest” is likely to be the descriptor of
wounds, both real and imagined, plainly seen
my achievements for the duration. Sure,
or exaggerated, and keep us close to His heart.
sometimes I feel disappointed. But less about
And teach us how to keep Him close to our
being disappointed with others and more about
hearts in Spirit and in Truth.
ChristianMusician.com
being disappointed with myself. Did I keep faith
46
Sep Oct 2016
ChristianMusician.com