The Broken Cello

In the musical world, the mention of the name Stradivarius brings awe.

Antonio Stradivari went to a forest to harvest wood for his handcrafted violins. In his lifetime, he created over 1000 instruments, of which 650 still exist.

Which makes this tale tragic.

According to the Royal Palace of Spain, a Stradivarius cello worth 20 million dollars suffered damage. The local newspaper reported that the instrument fell off a table.

No one knows the person responsible for the careless placement, but now the neck has broken off the cello’s body.

How is it that someone could treat something precious, so expensive, so carelessly?

But don’t we do it all the time? Many neglect their marriage. Some have no time for their children because of that next meeting.

None of those measures up to a neglected soul.

Jesus faced the disciples with a sobering reality. The Christian life would exact a high price but would pay dividends unknown in this world. So he warns them:

“For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?” (Matthew 16:26, ESV)

Those who treat their spiritual life as a trivial thing will one day find the treasure taken from them. Nurture Christian relationships. Immerse yourself in scripture. Make prayer a cornerstone of your life.

After all, would you drop a Stradivarius?