If only you would let others see what I get to see…

I followed the melody up the stairs and into my son’s room. With at least two guitars, a harmonic, and an old recorder in his room, I am often greeted by music when I enter. But this night was different. There was a sound I couldn’t place coming from his room. A whistle that, while familiar, was unidentifiable. I listened outside of his door, as the theme song from “Lord of the Rings” was strummed on a guitar and whistled on a….What was that thing? And how was he making both sounds at the same time?
I walked into his room, convinced I would find his dad or sister in there with him.
What I found instead was my son with his electric guitar in his hands, and a nose flute taped to his face!!!

I don’t know what I was expecting, but it was not that!
I was certainly not expecting to find my normally shy fourteen year old son sitting on his bed with a blue plastic nose contraption held to his face with masking tape, breathing out the tune to “Lord of the Rings” while strumming his white electric guitar.
I couldn’t help but laugh. Hard.
He tried to maintain his serious musician demeanor, but my laughter brought his own.
“What?” he finally asked, having caught his breath, “You don’t like my act? I’m practicing for America’s Got Talent!”

The hysterics started again at the image those words conjured up.
“Oh buddy,” I said, trying to catch my breath, “If only you would let others see what I get to see.
We laughed some more. He played “The Sound of Silence,” “Seven Years,” and “Amazing Grace” on his nose flute. We talked about the book he is reading. Prayed and I told him goodnight.
As I went in to brush my teeth, my own words fluttered back through my mind….”If only you would let others see what I get to see.”
You see my son, who is wickedly funny and absurdly silly at home, is guarded and quiet with most everyone else. Only a handful of people ever get to see the side of him that I get to see.

I get to see his intelligence and curiosity.
I get to witness his antics and impersonations.
I get to laugh at his jokes and observations.
And I get to discuss his deep, mind-bending questions.
I adore what I see. I get excited about what I see. But convincing him to allow others to see it, is a whole other matter.
If only you would let others see what I get to see.….
The words swirl around my thoughts, stirring up images and memories from long ago:
A little girl hiding behind her daddy’s leg, afraid to talk to people. Yet talking non-stop at home, eager to share about her day.
A shy young girl, singing into a hairbrush in her room, dreaming of one day singing on a stage.
An awkward teenager so afraid of drawing attention to herself, yet longing to stand out for Jesus in some way.

I am reminded that I too was guarded. I too was scared. I too hid and tried to go unnoticed. And yet all along
God saw.
God noticed.
God delighted.
And He placed something in me that He longed for others to see.
A calling.
A light.
Himself.
How often do we hide who God has made us to be?

How often do we bury the calling He has placed on our lives.
We delight our Father. You delight your heavenly Father.
And yet, we live timid. Unsure. Afraid.
If only you would let others see what I get to see…..
What might God want us let others see? What has He called you to do that you are doing, but hiding in your room doing?
Maybe, just maybe, today would be the day that we are willing to take our nose flute-guitar act on the road and let others see what He sees….
Much love,
Jen