In a commonplace environment at an inappropriate hour

A man sat at a metro station in Washington D.C. and started to play the violin; it was a cold January morning. He played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, since it was rush hour, it was calculated that thousands of people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. Three minutes went by and a middle aged man noticed there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried up to meet his schedule. A minute late, the violinist received his first dollar tip: a woman threw the money in the till and without stopping continued to walk. A few minutes later, someone leaned against the wall to listen to him, but the man looked at his watch and started to walk again. Clearly he was late to work.
The one who paid the most attention to him was a 3 year old boy. His mother tagged him along, hurried but the kid stopped to look at the violinist. Finally the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. All the parents, without exception, forced them to move on.
In the 45 minutes the musician played, only six people stopped and stayed for a while. About 20 gave him money, but continued to walk their normal pace. He collected $32. When he finished playing and silence took over, no one noticed it. No one applauded, nor was there any recogniton.
No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the best violinist in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written with a violin worth 3.5 million dollars.
Just two days before his playing at the subway, Joshua Bell sold out the the Boston theater and the seats were valued at over a hundred dollars a ticket.
Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of an social experiment about perception, taste and the priorities of people. The outlines were: in a commonplace environment at an inappropriate hour: Doe we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize the talent in an unexpected visitor or context.
Born in a stable after being turned away by the inn keeper, preached to untold multitudes, rejected by some of his own followers even his closest friend denied him and finally crucified and the only ones that recognized him was Mary his mother: "my son" and the Roman soldier "surely this was the Son of God". There are so many thought patterns that my mind can't even began to put them into words. What are your priorities when in the presence of the Master....do you ever recognize him when not in the church house. Would you be able to understand it when he sets people in your way to see where your priorities go. What is so important in life that we can't seem to take the time to enjoy his presence in its many forms. His song is the most beautiful and only we can feel it and sing it (not even the angels can understand it).
Lord, it is all about you...and always will be.