Take a good look.A good, long look.
Now then. This instrument has been my treasure and my curse for the last three and a half years. For the longest time, it was only my curse, though I pretended to enjoy it or reassure myself of its value.
The thing about the bass guitar is that it doesn't exactly have the best reputation among the instruments used in a rock band scenario. In some ways, it almost doesn't fit in.
It's too much of a guitar to be bunched in with the drums, but it doesn't have enough strings to be like the guitars themselves, so it just seems kind of awkward with its four strings, larger body and longer neck.
Often times, the bassist is the loser of the group. Whether that means he's the creepy guy, the shy guy (Mario reference not intended), the fat (or otherwise unsightly) guy, or the least talented guy in the band. That's pretty much how my mind looked at it for a long time; all the while failing to see the flaw in my thought process.
One of the most annoying things about the bass guitar is that it is very hard to hold up the melodic and rhythmic foundation of a song by yourself and simply sing along with that. However, God has used that fact as an endless reminder of the fact that I cannot serve Him (or do anything for that matter) on my own. It's reminded me of my need not only for Him, but also for my brothers in Christ, two of which are fellow posters on this blog.
Just like I need them, they need me.
I remember Dan said once that no one is more grateful for the bassist and drummer than the lead guitarist. If not for them, it would sound like he were simply noodling over a random chord progression in his head or showing off for a crowd of people. A rock band works a lot like the body of Christ. There are people who end up in the foreground and people who spend less time being recognized, but as Paul said in 1 Corinthians 12, each part is placed by God in such a manner that they all receive equal value. The sin of pride and a desire to be recognized by people can often obscure this truth entirely, just like it did to me.
It almost shocks me to remember that I once despised having the position of being the musical foundation for the music. However, as Christians, the very foundation of our belief is Jesus Christ, and He has felt no dishonor or shame in being our foundation.
Who am I to complain about how He has orchestrated the details of my life and, yes, even the instruments that I am able to play? Even something as common as the ability to play bass can be a way that God draws me closer to Him and teaches me more about Him. By His grace, I can now say that I no longer hate the instrument that He has assigned to me.
-Jason Clarke
Bassist of Generic Music Group
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