Hold Music

In my position as Executive Director at the Avenue Theatre (our local community theater), I had occasion this week to call a company to order something we're needing, and as I was on hold for several minutes, I was forced to listen to music. The music was obnoxiously loud and sounded like it was coming from an eight-track tape player through a blown speaker. (If you're under 40 or so, ask your parents -- or grandparents -- to describe what that sounds like.) The song playing was an otherwise lovely Christian tune, but, in this case, it was not pleasing to my ears. It was irritating. (Interestingly, while I was calling regarding our lighting system, one of the things this company deals in is sound technology/systems.)

While on hold, and holding the phone away from my ear, I wondered: When was the last time anyone in the company had listened to their hold music? How did something of such poor quality end up as hold music, especially for this business? Why was music necessary at all, since a voice was also making announcements regarding available products and services? (Most of it was unintelligible, but I did hear "vampire costumes," which is neither here nor there, but a little jolting, nonetheless, when heard over the phrase "holy, holy, holy.") I don't know if they chose Christian music because they want to appeal to churches to buy their wares or if someone there thinks it's a good way to "witness to the world." I think it's mostly ineffective on both counts.

The situation did give me a moment for introspection. Does the church world use opportunities to convey the message of Jesus in effective ways, or do we merely sound loud and irritating? Have we really stopped to listen to what is representing us, or do we think any old "religious" thing will do? Are we sending mixed messages, trying to say and do too much all at once?

I would have enjoyed quiet, instrumental music, or even nothing at all, much more than the glaring noise I heard. Perhaps the Body of Christ would do well to stop and think, for a long moment or two, on the concept of peaceful simplicity. (And we also need to make sure we're really listening to our own "hold music.")