Let’s travel back in time to 1981, my freshman year in marching band at
Goodpasture Christian School in Nashville, Tennessee. We won the single A state
championship that year. Actually Goodpasture’s band won the state championship
in ’79, ’80, ’81, ’83 and several more consecutive times after I graduated in 1985.
Needless to say we took it very seriously. Friday night football game halftime
performances were seen as practices for band competitions the next day. We
marched during class time during the school period and from 3:15 until around 6:00
after school, except on Wednesdays when we let out a little early to make sure we
could get to church meeting on time.
We also had band inspections before our performances, including football
games, that were very similar to the military in style. We stood at attention while
our section leaders inspected our uniforms, our instruments, and our focus. Our
instruments had to pass the white glove test for cleanliness. We could be given
demerits for failing inspections, which would affect our grades given on report cards.
We were expected to be prepared.
One of the first contests we went to my freshman year was the MTSBOA
invitational. We were not placed in a first, second or third order, but instead we
received scores of our performance. It was a good way to prepare for future
competitions. Of course everyone wanted to be given the highest score possible.
The first part of this contest took place inside at a designated time. It was essentially
an inspection from a judge of the entire band at one time. The upperclassmen had
been preparing us freshman on every aspect of this inspection, as it could affect the
whole band’s overall score if we messed it up. We were not only to stand at attention
and not move, but if a judge stopped directly in front of you, you were to present
your instrument to him in a precise manner. If they asked you any questions you
could only answer them with the serial number found on your instrument you were
supposed to have memorized. They usually only stopped in front of 2, or 3 people
out of the entire band, so we were told to be prepared, but not to worry about it
because they probably won’t stop in front of you. You guessed it, they stopped in
front of me. I’m sure the rest of my line was holding their breath like I was. But I
was ready. I performed the way I had prepared. The band got their high score and I
didn’t mess it up for everybody.
When I took tests in school, if I had studied and prepared myself, I was usually
not nervous. But if I was not prepared, I was a wreck. Even now the more I prepare
before I speak in front of people, or teach a class the less nervous I am. There is a
direct connection with being ready and prepared and an inner peace.
Matthew 25:1-13 is a story Jesus tells about 10 virgins, 5 who are prepared
and 5 who are not. These virgins may have been more like how we would think of
bridesmaids. Weddings were held more towards evening and the lamps were
probably like torches wrapped in oil soaked rags.
Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary describes weddings like this:
the bridegroom was accompanied by his friends, by musicians and
singers and by persons bearing torches. The groom received his bride
from her parents, then he conducted the whole party back to his own
house, or his father’s house with song, music and dancing. On the way
back they were joined by additional friends of the bride and groom. A
feast was served and celebrated with great joy.
The virgins, or bridesmaids were waiting for the bridegroom. Apparently
bridegrooms were often late and their comings were repeatedly announced until they
arrived. It would have not been uncommon to need extra oil. Five were prepared.
Five were not prepared and missed the procession back to the groom’s house along with
the singing and dancing and were shut out of the feast and celebration (Matthew 25:1-13).
We do not know when Jesus is coming to claim His bride. We have to always be
prepared and ready. As the five foolish, or unprepared virgins discovered, you
cannot expect others to be prepared for you. It is an individual decision to be ready.
If you have not put on Christ in baptism, why wait? If you are already a Christian,
but need to make your relationship with God right, don’t wait.
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