Teaching God

The other day I attended my son Jordan’s piano recital. I don’t usually get excited about piano recitals. It’s one thing to endure your own children struggle to find the right key night after night for weeks on end, but sitting through two hours of other people’s kids doing the same thing is downright painful.

But this recital was different. Why? Because every note was played on key? No. There were plenty of “G” sharps that should have been “B” flats. It wasn’t any less painful to endure. This recital was special because my son actually participated.

About three years ago, at the end of another recital, he announced to us that he’d had enough. He no longer wanted to play the piano. This was devastating to me. One gift I’ve been determined to impart to my children is a gift that I personally was never given: the gift of music. I had hoped that both of my children would at least advance to a level where their ability to produce beautiful music could bring a lifetime of enjoyment. My hopes, it seemed, were being derailed.

I couldn’t blame him, though, for wanting to quit. The fun had gone out of it for him. Only a year earlier, you couldn’t drag him away from the piano. Now it took an act of congress to get him to practice for even ten minutes. Some of his loss of enthusiasm I attributed to adolescence; lacking the discipline and maturity to do what it takes to learn. But the lion share of his dying enthusiasm I blamed on his teacher. This well meaning lady's style of instruction consisted of methodically working through principles of music theory and technique by practicing lifeless, outdated music. She also put a great deal of pressure on the kids to participate in local piano competitions and recitals. I suspected she was concerned less with what the children gained from the experience than with promoting her piano lesson business in the local community. Neither of these approaches worked well with my son.

So after Jordan’s adamant announcement we decided to switch tracks. After a brief hiatus we found another piano instructor with a decidedly different approach to music instruction.

What a refreshing change it was. The first thing this teacher asked when the kids walked into her house was what kind of music they enjoyed. "That’s the music", she said with a smile, "you're going to play." Over the next several months of lessons we were impressed that this instructor seemed less concerned that our kids master the mechanics of the music they played than that they be sufficiently motivated by their enjoyment in playing it.

Her reasoning was simple. If you teach the love of music, interest will be maintained over time, and the rest, the method, correct technique, will come naturally. If you teach method first, the love will die, and eventually, so will the learning.

I believe there is a lot of wisdom in that approach. I immediately saw the fruits of it in my children, particularly my son. They couldn't wait to get to the music store to pick out their music and get to the piano.

I think it would pay for our churches to apply this approach in it's efforts to teach it's members children about God. I’ve seen too many Bible school curriculums that jump immediately into the mechanics; the “what” of our faith; without first teaching the “why.” Absent that context; absent an active relationship to build on; the "what" just becomes information.

How much greater would be our success if we strived first to instill in our children a loving relationship with God before funneling lists of memory scriptures and doctrinal statements into their heads. If our children develop a love for God, interest in a relationship with Him will be maintained, and the rest will come naturally. They will want to read His book. They will want to be where other members of His family are. They will want to please Him. It’s that simple.

My son did a great job at the recital. Oh yes, he hit a wrong key a few times... but it was all music to my ears. This time he left the stage with a smile instead of a grimace. He’s learning a skill that will bring him enjoyment the rest of his life…and he’s loving it. I couldn’t be more proud.





------

"I will meditate on Your precepts, and contemplate Your ways. I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word." Psalms 119:15 - 16