“Do not have your concert first, and then tune your instrument afterwards. Begin the day with the Word of God and prayer, and get first of all into harmony with Him.” 

Hudson Taylor

In high school, I played the violin in the orchestra. Before the start of every session, there was one thing we had to do: ensure our instruments were in tune. Bass, cello, viola, and violin players tune their instruments by matching their A string to a reference instrument—usually the oboe or concertmaster’s violin—and then adjust their other strings accordingly. If you click on the embedded video link, you can hear what this process sounds like. The reference instrument needed to be in tune; otherwise, the whole ensemble would be off key.

We are all instruments in God’s orchestra, and He is the Master Conductor. One of the most glaring—yet often unperceived—problems is that many of us are out of tune most of the time. As Hudson Taylor, the missionary to China, implied, this is because we fail to tune ourselves to God through prayer and the reading of His Word. Tuning an instrument once is not enough: this process needs to occur every day.

What are the consequences of being an out-of-tune Christian? Here are some negative effects:

1. Reactionary. We move through life being carried by the current rather than charting our own course. In other words, we are reactive rather than proactive, responsive rather than directive, and passive rather than purpose-driven.
2. Rubbed the wrong way. When we meet others who are out of tune, we become irritated or frustrated. We see the disharmony that their life is making (via their words or actions), and that, coupled with our state of being, leads to more dissonance. It is akin to the blind leading the blind; both fall into a ditch.
3. Restless. We hyperfocus on how out of tune others are. This causes frustration, bitterness, and resentment to foster within us.

The solution is to understand this truth: An instrument out of tune cannot tune another; the only solution is to be in tune. If you are out of tune, you can safely assume knowingly or unknowingly, your imperfections will rub against another and cause discord, if not today, then tomorrow. However, if you are in tune with God, you will produce a harmonious sound, you will be a vital part of God’s orchestra, playing the right notes He composed and helping others hear their disharmonious notes, all while remaining in tune yourself.