Left-Handed Music

The example of playing a piano piece illustrates the point that using both hands creates beautiful harmony where each note is important just like each person is an important member of God’s world. 

Theme: 

The importance of each member of God’s World.

Preparation: 

Tell this story near a piano or organ with the children gathered around. If you don’t play the piano, you will need to enlist the help of someone who does. 

What to say:

Did you know that there are more right-handed than left-handed people? How many of you are left-handed? (Show of hands)

A long time ago, people used to think that “left-handedness” was “wrong” and needed to be changed. Once, when I was a little boy, I broke my right wrist, and it forced me to be left-handed for a while. I thought that the accident had some benefits. I thought, “I won’t have to practice the piano!”

But I was wrong! My teacher insisted that I use the time to work on my left hand, to strengthen it. This involved learning pieces for the left hand alone, and I gained not only increased strength, but an appreciation for the melodies often covered up when we listen to the more prominent melodies in the right hand (illustrate this with part of a piano piece—playing just the right hand alone, then the left hand alone).

Now listen to the magic when we put them both together! (Play both hands together). When we make music with both hands, we create a beautiful and magical harmony. Each note, like each person is important, beautiful.

Making God’s music together is what reconciliation is all about: left-handed people and right-handed people, rich and poor, young and old, men and women, black and white, gay/lesbian and nongay/lesbian—joining together as a loving family.

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From Dumbarton United Methodist Church Favorite Children’s Stories 1995 – 2006. Edited by Mittie Quinn. 2006. Used by permission. 

Contributed by Roger Gilkeson

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