This past Tuesday evening my family and I attended my nephew's Junior High Orchestra Recital. The program consisted of four acts: the 7th Grade Band, the 8th Grade Band, the 7th Grade String Orchestra and then the 8th Grade String Orchestra.

The auditorium was filled with proud parents excited to hear their children play.

As is typical of such a performance put on by such young musicians, the sounds that came from these ensembles were often out of tune and squeaky. Despite the imperfections, we all applauded after each piece. No doubt the parents were turning a deaf ear to the music and were showering their children with well-deserved praise. Although it lacked musical perfection, the performance represented months and months of dedication and hard work.

Music has rules. Notes have to go together in the right way. The word "harmony" is defined as "a combination of parts into a pleasing or orderly whole." Playing in a school band or orchestra is not easy. Not only do you have to play your instrument correctly, all the musicians have to play the right notes at the right time. All of the parts have to combine into an orderly whole. Good musicians cannot "mask" a bad fellow-musician. When someone is out of tune, plays the wrong note, misses the beat, etc., it is heard! It destroys the harmony. It sounds bad. Lack of harmony can be overlooked by loving parents - but it cannot be ignored!

Let's think about that word "harmony" in another context. Remember the definition: "a combination of parts into a pleasing or orderly whole." God has organized the local church in such a way that all the members are to function together in a harmonious manner. "From whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love" (Eph. 4:16; see 1 Cor. 12:12-31).

What happens when we are "out-of-harmony" in the local church? That thought actually occurred to me while I was listening to the young performers on Tuesday night. "Is this what we sound like to God?" I was not thinking about the sound of our singing. I was thinking about the "sound" of the love and care we have for one another in the local church, and the "sound" of us working together in our collective efforts. What does God think when we fail to work and worship together in a harmonious manner? Does He overlook our imperfections and shower us with praise and applause? Is He pleased? Is He glorified?

Brethren, let's work on our harmony. This begins by making sure we are "playing correctly" as individuals. Are we being the best Christian we can be? Then, we need to make sure we are caring for and working with other members in the right way, following the direction of our "Conductor" - the Lord. Some of us are new at this, and will learn as time goes on. However, some of us have been at this for a long time now and know how it is supposed to be done. Harmony can be maintained if we will remember to love God above all others and to love our neighbor as ourselves (Matt. 22:37-40).

"Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!" (Psalm 133:1).