The Touch of the Master's Hand

So one day my wife got me a gift. It was a thoroughly well thought out, and home made gift, the best kind of all. She had been listening to "Chicken Soup For the Soul" audiobooks, and was particularly touched by a poem called, "The Touch of the Master's Hand" by Myra B. Welch.

Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer thought it scarcely worth his while

To waste much time on the old violin, but held it up with a smile;

"What am I bidden, good folks," he cried, "Who'll start the bidding for me?

A dollar, a dollar; then two! Only two? Two dollars, and who'll make it three?

Three dollars, once; three dollars twice; going for three..." But no,

From the room, far back, a gray-haired man came forward and picked up the bow;

Then, wiping the dust from the old violin, and tightening the loose strings,

He played a melody pure and sweet as caroling angel sings.

The music ceased, and the auctioneer, with a voice that was quiet and low,
said; "What am I bid for the old violin?" And he held it up with the bow.
A thousand dollars, and who'll make it two? Two thousand! And who'll make it three?

Three thousand, once, three thousand, twice, and going and gone," said he.

The people cheered, but some of them cried, "We do not quite understnad

what changed its worth." Swift came the reply: "The touch of a master's hand."

And many a man with life out of tune, and battered and scarred with sin,
Is auctioned cheap to the thoughtless crowd, much like the old violin,

A "mess of pottage," a glass of wine; a game - and he travels on.

He is going once, and going twice, He's going and almost gone.

But the Master comes, and the foolish crowd never can quite understand

The worth of a soul and the change that's wrought by the touch of the Master's hand.

In her mind, the poem spoke about the way we as teachers make a difference in people's lives. A student comes to us, sometimes not believing in themselves, often told how worthless they are. Then we bring out some knowledge which helps them discover how meaningful they can be. They have a success in our classroom, and that inspires them to have a few more.

So she typed it up, and printed it a beautiful paper, and framed it and gave it to me for inspiration. I was so inspired, that I set it to music.

It was only later on, when I performed the song in church, that someone pointed out to me that it wasn't "The touch of A master's hand." It was "The Touch of THE Master's Hand." The master, of course, being God. The song also works on the level of meaning how God's presence in our life can change us from the path of self destruction, and failure; towards the life of success and abundance.

I enjoy songs that work on multiple levels like this. It means that even the cynic can gain wisdom, even if they won't acknowledge the sacred in it.