I read this in a book by Walter Beuttler. It’s a good read for the hungry in spirit!!! This story impacted me quite deeply, so I thought I’ll share it with you guys!!!

There are several of us who get on stage to sing for the glory of the Lord, but how often do we ‘REALLY’ sing for an audience of ONE??? This incident below really made me think deep and self evaluate. It is a good read for some self-introspection, to all the singers out there!!! The next time we get on stage, may we never forget that our audience is not ‘before’ us, but rather ‘above’ us!!!

Excerpt from the book:

We had a revival in school, and we were coming and going because the revival kept going all the time. I came back to chapel, and sat on one end on the girl’s side. I came in and just sat over there.

One of the girls was sitting at the other end of the row of seats – nobody between us, and she was singing….. It was beautiful. I think she was the greatest singer we ever had. Did that girl have a voice! She could sing way up to K (someplace up there – I’m not a musician though I love music, but know nothing about it.) Did she sing! The chapel was quiet. Everybody was listening to her, and so was I. Oh could that girl sing!

And the Lord spoke to me, “I want you to go over to Susie (not her real name), and tell her that her singing is an abomination in My sight.”

Whew!

I said, “Lord, I can’t do that. I have a good relationship with the students, and she has never done anything to me. That’s a terrible thing to do.”

A second time He said, “I want you to go over and tell her that her singing is an abomination in My sight.”

I said, “God, I can’t do that to that girl.” She was one of those nice kids, you know. She’d get cookies from home from her Mom, knock at my door, “Come in,” I’d say.

“Brother Beuttler, got some cookies. Would you like some?”

I’d say, “Sure, I’ll take the whole box. How about it?” You know, that kind of a kid.

“God, and I should tell her that?” I said. The Lord dealt with me, and I finally acquiesced. When I wanted to go over, she was gone. Oh, I felt bad. I said, “Father, forgive me. I’m going to go up to the office, and if You will bring her my way, I will obey.”

I walked up, and down the hall comes Susie. We passed outside my office door. I said, “Susie, would you mind stepping in my office a moment. I have something to tell you.”

And she said so nicely, “Certainly, Brother Beuttler,” in such a nice way. Now I felt all the worse. If she had only demurred, but she was so accommodating. We went and shut the door. She stood here; I stood there. I looked her in the eye and said nothing. I guess she wondered. I thought, “Oh brother, that’s awfully hard, isn’t it?”

I said, “Susie, the Lord wants me to tell you that your singing in chapel is an abomination in His sight.” I said no more. And that girl looked at me as though lightening had struck her.

I could feel her think, “Brother Beuttler, you, of all people! What have I ever done to you?” What could I do?

Her head came down and that girl began to weep. She broke out into terrible sobs that I hear for the rest of my life. Oh brother! Her nose started to run, so I gave her my handkerchief. I told you I always have a clean handkerchief in school.

She took it and wept into it. Oh brother! That girl wept. Her whole body heaved. I could have put my arm around that girl’s shoulder. I could have and said to her, “I’m so sorry, what can I do?” but you can’t do that.

There she was, blowing her nose, sobbing. And then she went that way all the way down the hall to the girl’s dorm, crying and sobbing the whole way. And I stood outside the door and watched the girl walk down like that. Whew! What a job this school business is, and obedience to God.

She was the favourite singer. She was the soloist; she was in duets, in threeets, in fourets, in fivets, whatever ets there was, she was in it. She sang no more, and to her credit, she never told what happened. Neither did I.

“Susie, will you sing a solo?” “No,” she would answer.

“Why not?” “I’m not singing anymore,” she answered.

“What happened?” “Don’t ask me,” she said.

That girl refused to sing for about three months. I had chapel service, and the Lord laid it upon my heart to ask her to sing a solo. So I looked her up and said, “Susie, I have chapel tomorrow, and I’d like you to sing a solo for us.”

She said, “Me?” as though saying, “After what you said, you’re asking me?” (She didn’t say that, that’s how I felt.) She only said, “Me?”

So I said, “Yes, you.”

Her head She paused a bit and said, “I’ll sing.” And she sang. School was out very shortly after that. During the summer I received a letter from her:

Dear Brother Beuttler, I want to thank you for your faithfulness to God and to me for when I was singing in chapel, I was not singing for the glory of the Lord, I was singing to have folk admire my voice. I knew everybody was listening in admiration while I enjoyed their admiration. For some time pride had begun to build up in my heart, and I sang for my own glory. What you said made me realize the state I was in. God humbled me, and broke me, and took the pride out of my heart. I went to the radio station and asked them to cut for you a 12-inch record on which I’m singing for you your favourite hymns.

Your grateful student, Susie

She came back again the next year and was used again in singing, but her pride was gone. What a price for obedience!!!!

Some tough lessons!!!! Huh!!! …. heaven is watching…. with piercing eyes that look directly into our hearts!!!! We can pretend before people, but ain’t happening with God!!!

“O fear the LORD, you His saints” Psalm 34:9

Blessed November guys!!!