The Touch of The Master's Hand

'Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer thought it scarrcely worth his
while to waste much time on the violin,

''What am I bidden, good folks,'' he cried,

''Who will start 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 sweet as caroling angel sings.
The music ceased, and the auctioneer, with a voice that was quite and low,

Said, ''What am I bidden 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 understand''
What changed it's worth?''Swift came the reply;
''The touch of the master's hand.''

And many a man with life out of tune, all 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's ''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.

~Myra Brooks Welch~

Posted by Treebearbear