Ode to Joy

Most people aren’t fans of classical music. I’ve always liked the loud stuff, the pieces that sound like heavy metal. They’re complicated, intricate, and require a lot of attention in listening to them. I came to the conclusion that each instrument has its own part but alone it doesn’t make much sense. Put it with the rest of the instruments and you get a symphony. Love it.

Today I had a special kind of insight. There is so much darkness, selfishness, confusion—downright evil—in the world today. Many, many times I cry out to God, “Why God? Why don’t you just wipe the planet clean of humans? You did it before. We are such a rebellious, self-centered lot why bother?” You know as well as I do what’s going on. And I’m sure it hurts your heart and soul the same as it hurts mine.

I was scrolling Facebook and happened on a video of a flash mob in Nurenberg, Germany, playing Beethoven’s Ode to Joy. It starts out with a young girl playing a recorder in front of a gentleman who had a bass. He picks up the melody and starts playing. Then a woman comes out with a cello. Slowly they are joined by more and more people with instruments. Then a choir joins in.

I started crying. Beethoven created this. A human. That a human created something so glorious and beautiful is beyond amazing. God must rejoice and the angels dance at that song. Unbelievable.

But then that’s not the only beautiful thing humans have done. Paintings and sculptures and architecture and singing. Humans are capable of so many beautiful, wonderful things. We can expand into relationships and how we selflessly give to each other. It dawned on me that’s why God loves us; because of what we are capable of.