Preaching to the Choir

When I was about seven or eight years old, I sang in the church choir. Around this time, I was on the extremely quiet side and shy, but still brave. At this time, for some reason there were only two other people at choir practice they were both much older than me by three to six years. For the entire time choir instructor taught one song. The two older kids stood a little in front of me and sang amazingly. I don’t remember what they sounded like but I do remember their facial expressions and the way they rose their head to project sound. That in itself said a lot. I on the other hand felt I was working hard until the much older girl stood behind me and pointed her finger downward toward me rapidly and half mouthed and half whispered to the choir director,” she not singing." I felt bad. I guess it was a little frightening being around such older kids mad being on the reserved side. Nothing was coming out when I opened my mouth. The small amount of people intimidated me. At the end of rehearsal, the choir director said, in a serious and somewhat frustrated tone, if you don’t want to sing, tell your parents not to bring you next time. I never went back until one summer when the church had a youth explosion and basically all children in the church had to participate. This was one of the first moments I realized that was different from others. I had been an avid singer in the choir for about two years before this, but this was different. The kids were older and there where a lot less people. I know the director did not mean to offend me or make me upset, but I never went back to being a regular choir singer. I did not stop serving God. Instead I joined the dance ministry at church. I danced from the middle of third grade until the middle of eight grade. I was a little stiff at first and faced many challenges during this time but I tried my hardest. Around the end of seventh grade I started working in the church nursery and I was very good at it. It didn't require excellent social skills or lengthy conversations with peers. I felt comfortable consulting with adults by asking question about how to handle certain situations with the kids and observing how the experienced nursery workers handled the children. It was easy to interact with the children by complementing their art work or encouraging them to share instead of argue over toys. Today, I still work in the nursery and still enjoy each Sunday that I volunteer. From this I learned that everyone is good at something. Its just a matter of having the patience and perseverance to discover your niche and listen to what God is telling you to do. You don’t have to have dynamite social skills or be an avid talker to find hobbies, extracurricular activities and careers that you love and excel in. God has given each of us unique talents and gifts whether you’re reserved, shy, or an introvert. Don’t stop participating in life. Get out and do what you’re meant to do!