The elderly lady was sitting at a table in the small café across the street from the opera theatre. She stirred her tea and dug into a pastry, and I couldn’t help noticing how happy she was. I wondered if the pastry was that good–good enough for her eyes to twinkle and a broad smile to cover her wrinkled cheeks. Her eyes caught mine, and that was enough for her to start a conversation. “Did you hear the performance?” she asked. “It was one of the best yet!” She went on, not minding that I didn’t quite care about the names of the opera singers, the titles of their performances, and the baritone-aria-trills that were performed throughout the years. I marveled at her knowledge. She seemed to know everything about the opera, starting with dates many years back and ending with the names of every singer who’d performed in every opera theatre in Central Asia. 

I didn’t know anyone or anything of what she was talking about, but after listening to the excited woman boast about the wonder of the opera theatre, I almost wished I did. I felt myself yearning to experience the same feelings of delight and enjoyment. It was almost contagious. 

As we left the café, my husband said, “If we Christians would speak with such excitement and joy about the goodness of our Father, maybe more people would be willing to get to know him.”  

Right on.  

Walking toward our apartment in that central Asian city, my mind was racing with this thought: “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.” It never occurred to me until that moment. 

That little old lady, she was more than satisfied with opera. It seemed that she not only listened, but dreamt, opera. In fact, she seemed to worship it. 

And me? How satisfied am I with the Creator of the universe, the Great I AM? Do the words I use and the things I say about true life with him resonate in people’s souls?  

I knew the answer: God had sent that opera-worship encounter to shake me up and remind me that he deserves glory and worship. The closer I am to him, the more my life would reflect that glory.