The applause was coming from the garden of the Hyde Park mansion. An internationally acclaimed pianist had just finished a Mozart etude for a charity event of a women’s guild. The women, dripping in diamonds and wearing Yves Saint Laurent dresses, stood up to acknowledge the maestro’s performance.
As the clapping died down, one lady in the front row said, “I would just do anything to play the piano like that.”
The pianist turned toward her and eyed her up and down. “No, you wouldn’t,” he said in a stern rebuke.
The audience gasped. The woman was known for her kindness and generosity to many causes. All felt her shame as her face reddened and eyes watered. Trying to regain some modicum of dignity, she defiantly mouthed toward the pianist, “Yes, I would.”
The man stood up with his eyes glaring. “No, you wouldn’t,” he repeated in an even sterner voice. “Because if you really meant what you said, you would have been willing to give up your youth, your teenage years and eight hours a day – everyday – of your life practicing the piano. There is a price to pay to sit on this bench. I paid it. And you didn’t.”
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Knowing therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men…(2 Corinthians 5:10-11)
When the Lord touches our little pile of works with His torch, and the flames reveal what sort they are – whether gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw – maybe we will feel like this lady. Red cheeks. Wet eyes. Wishing that we had paid the price.
Hopefully, this will not be so because it will be too late to do anything about it then.
Larry Who 