The Touch of the Master's Hand

Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer 

thought it scarcely worth his while

to waste much time on the old violin,

but he 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; and 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 a 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 understand, what changed its worth?" 

Swift came the reply: "It was the touch of the 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 is wrought 

by the touch of the Master's hand.

                                                                                       Myra 'Brooks' Welch

I have found this poem to be very useful on my mission. Many sometimes fall into a trap and are 'auctioned cheap to the thoughtless crowd', but just as the poem says, the Master steps in and something beautiful happens. I've seen it happen to others and it's happened to myself. We are changed, we are made better and made whole through the love of our Savior Jesus Christ. I hope that we can all invite him in by doing the small and simple things, like scripture study, praying and attending Church, to bring the Master's touch into our own lives.

Thanks for Reading!