Monkeys & Music

Of Monkeys and Music by Ken Bailey © KenBailey 2009

In 1927 on the sunnyside of 2nd Avenue and 49th Street Luigi the organ grinder cranked out tunes for the passersby while Ravioli, Luigi’s pet monkey would offer his turned-up bellboy cap in a plea for money. As one well-dressed socialite walked up to the hat-in-hand monkey, the socialite dropped in a shiny nickel. The monkey screeched at the woman as if she had short-changed the stinky little mammal. Luigi smiled, tipped his own hat to the lady and then jerked on the monkey’s leash so hard the monkey slammed into Luigi’s worn suit pants. "I apologize for my monkey lady. Sometimes he thinks he makes the music."

Sometimes those of us called by God to pass the hat and share the Word forget who it is that makes the Music. Acting on a call of God, when doing it right, is hard, often thankless, work. To equate that important calling to a monkey on an organ grinder’s leash may be a harsh comparison. In fact, many people and every member of PETA would today find the entire idea of an innocent animal being trained, worked hard on the streets of New York and occasionally yanked by the organ grinder completely unacceptable. But I stand by the harsh analogy.

Most of us securely tethered to our Lord and Savior by His chain of Grace would never want to be separated from that umbilical. And if our loving Father pulls on it before we step into traffic, we dumb monkeys will just have to learn to trust the Organ Grinder. It is through His power that the music is made.

If you can see yourself as that monkey, please remember as you put on your costume of faith and pass the hat that you are not the Source. And that when you get too contentious or full of yourself for the passersby that the Organ Grinder has others waiting to take your place.