A PUBLIC AUCTION of household items, or the viewing of an antique show and hearing experts opinions, can be both interesting and entertaining. It is "fun" to watch the expressions on people's faces when they learn that their pet possession is far more valuable than they anticipated.
On an occasion of viewing before an auction, there was an old violin on display which everyone was disposed to ignore. It looked shoddy and really past its best. That they were in for a big, big surprise is told in an anonymous poem entitled The Touch of the Master's Hand. The auctioneer was not impressed by the violin:
T'was battered and scarred and the auctioneer thought it scarcely worth his while to waste much time on the old violin but he held it up with a smile.
What am I bidden, good folks?" he cried,
"Who'll start the bidding for me?
A pound, a pound, then two, only two?
Two pounds - and who'll make it three.
Then, when the violin seemed to be almost worthless, "a greyhaired man picked up the bow, and tightening the loose strings, he played a melody pure and sweet as a carolling angel sings". As the community of those present at the auction witnessed the striking effect of his playing they cried: "We do not understand what changed the old violin's worth!" Swift came the reply; "It was the touch of the Master's hand". And the poem makes the comment:
Many a man with life out of tune and battered and scarred with sin is auctioned cheap to the thoughtless crowd, much like the old violin.
The crowd at the auction had been unduly influenced by the old violin's decrepit appearance, and by the thoughtless, negative opinions expressed in their hearing. When they were alerted, their bidding increased from a few pounds - to thousands.
In everyday experiences, believers need to be vigilant and on their guard in accepting appearances or thoughtless, uncomplimentary, negative words that can undermine belief. Ralph Waldo Emerson, in an amusing remark cautioning vigilance in dealing with a sham appearance in a boastful guest, says: "The louder he talked of his honour, the faster we counted our spoons!"
On a more serious note, I tell of a woman who suffered a hell of mind and conscience because she was physically unable to be energetic, like her sister. They were spoken of as the Misses Lazy and Lively". It was discovered by new diagnosis that her apparent laziness was due to some special physical complaint. She was released from apparent incurable lethargy by the hand of medicine and prayer, as the old violin was released from its apparent ineptitude to its true potential by "the touch of the Master's hand".
The witnessing community of believers may learn from that crowd at the auction to see potential in an old violin - to see potential in everyone we meet, even the apparently drab, dull or dangerous. While relishing the outward and visible signs in prayer and worship, we experience the inward and spiritual peace from "the touch of the Master's hand". We bid for God's free gift of peace when we pray and trust in the words of a hymn like
They touch has still its ancient power.