Keep Beating the Drum!

For centuries the drum has played a vital role in African life as a highly effective means of communication. No, it was not quite as good as E-mail, texting or Instagram, but close.  By the drum beat messages could be sent from village to village. It was beat in times of celebration and it was beat during times of mourning. To those who could recognize the beat of the drum it was a quick and effective way to get a message out to as many people as fast as possible. Thus the African proverb, "When you play the drum you never know how far the sound will travel."

If the wind was blowing the wrong way the sound of the drumbeat would not travel as far. If it was a still night, or the air was cooler, the sound would travel greater distances. But regardless of these outside influences the drummer still had a task to accomplish. If the conditions were poor he still had to beat his drum. If the wind was howling about him, he still had to beat the drum.  It was his task to beat the beat, and simply trust that those in neighboring villages would hear. Though we do not live in Africa, and must of us don't even own a drum, this proverb has strong application for the Believer in Jesus Christ living in the United States. Though we are far more advanced in our communication methods, we still have much to learn from the faithful drummer.

The drumbeat that the believer in Jesus Christ plays is the good news of the Gospel. Every Believer is commanded to be a drummer who faithfully plays out the beat of the Gospel. And we are to do this regardless of perceived or visible results for you never know how far the sound will travel. It may be that ninety-nine percent of the time the Gospel seems to fall on deaf ears, yet, the results of our beating out the good news of the Gospel is up to the Holy Spirit. Remember the Holy Spirit works in mysterious way a we never know how, when, or where He is going to work. In other words the results are not in our hands, just the faithful obedient beating of the drums. The question is, "Are you beating your drum?" If not get busy, because "When you play the drum you never know how far the sound will travel."

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. .  So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ."  (Romans 1:16; 10:17 – ESV)