Choir Members Paraphrase 1 Corinthians 13

If I can sing with a voice like angels

but have not love,

I may as well sing in the wrong key.

And although I may have the gift of perfect pitch

and the ability to harmonize in many parts;

Even if I can write a song,

if I do not have love,

my music may as well be dissonant and noisy.

Love is patient

even when someone else keeps making mistakes that make you look bad.

Love is kind

when someone forgets the words to a song in front of the whole congregation.

Love is not jealous

when someone else is asked to sing a solo you wanted.

Love is not proud

when you are the one chosen for a solo.

Love does not make fun of those who do not sing on pitch, admits when you were the one who sang the wrong note, does not take pleasure when someone is asked to make their joyful noise from the congregation instead of the choir loft, and rejoices even if the person asked is you.

Love bears up when you are asked to sing a supporting part that is boring in order to allow the melody to shine; believes you are singing your part for a reason; hopes for better parts in other songs; and is willing to wait for God’s timing.

Cramped, hot or cold choir lofts,

Lost music,

Lousy practices,

And wrinkled choir robes

Will pass away

But love will last forever.

Since I don’t fully understand the Great Chorale of life

I can only tell you something about the part I sing or play in it.

But someday the Great Conductor will come

and I will be able to see His Conductor’s score

and understand why I had the part I did.

When I was younger I was only concerned about getting the notes right.

Now I realize that articulation, diction, dynamics and heart attitude are important too.

Now I wonder why I am in this congregation, in this choir, at this point in time,

When I see Jesus, I will see that because I was willing to be where He placed me,

I harmonized with His melody to help make His song beautiful.

In the meantime, I’ve learned these three things:

Faith, hope, and love,

but the greatest of these is love.

Shirley Lewis 6/6/2012
adapted from the Bible

& 'a band member's paraphrase'

by Sharon Varner