Star Mic

I had a meeting the other day with a company that could potentially be doing some work on our sound system at church. I love that kind of stuff. Mixing boards, amplifiers, line arrays, wiring. I enjoy discussing the particulars that make live sound happen.

But I heard a term that I had never heard before.

The rep from the company was showing me the layout of a digital mixer that has color-coded LCDs above each fader to indicate what kind of channel that fader was controlling. As he continued, he mentioned that the board operator might choose to make the “star mic” red so that it could be identified quickly.

“Star mic?”

He explained that “star mic” is soundguy speak for the microphone that is featured most prominently in the mix. The one mic that is heard above everything else.

Then it hit me. MY mic is the “star mic” at our church.

Whoa.

When I use that mic, I had better be making Jesus Christ the star.

If you are reading this as a pastor, music pastor, someone who sings specials or on a praise team, or gets up in front of anyone at all (even without a mic), you and I need to focus the attentions of those with whom we communicate on the One that alone deserves all glory, honor, and praise. Anything less is prideful.

I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I can do NOTHING without the power of the Holy Spirit within me. The instant that I believe I can manage without Him is the instant I doubt His power to work within me. Further, it is the moment that my natural propensity to rely on my own abilities renders me ineffective.

There is only ONE real star. And He needs no amplification.