In my little hometown, events are often held in the park across from the courthouse square. Usually, local musicians entertain the crowds from the small gazebo-type bandstand overlooking the park.
One morning as I walked my dog, Rafi, on the street that goes past that park, I noticed an event was underway. Vendors sat under perfectly lined tents on the street opposite the bandstand, chatting with potential customers.
Nobody was paying attention to the singers performing an old Johnny Cash song, and when they finished, only two people applauded. Two! I felt for those musicians and offered encouragement, waving and giving them a thumbs-up as I passed.
I did many similar gigs in my younger years, and I know firsthand the pain of being ignored while performing. A crowd’s meager appreciation is devastating to the confidence of a performer, as is the poor compensation given for your talent. I once performed for an ice cream cone!
After years of struggling as a musician, I finally managed to hear the applause of the masses. It happened when I was in a band called Brush Arbor. What a high to listen to the screams, applause, and people cheering me on.
Our group won two Academy of Country Music Awards in 1973 for Vocal Group of the Year and Touring Band of the Year. We were invited to sing at the Grand Ole Opry and shared the stage with greats like Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, and Olivia Newton-John.
All that applause turned to silence, though, when I was voted out of the band for alcohol and drug abuse. Just like that, my grand stage disappeared, and I was playing in dark bars where I earned $35 a night. It was humiliating after playing in such grand places. I felt like a failure and, in my pity, headed for self-destruction.
It took me hitting rock bottom before I surrendered my life to God and asked for His help. In His grace, the Lord has restored me to the stage, but not how I’d imagined. God placed me in a new venue—prison.
I’ve been ministering and performing behind the wire now for 26 years and have been sober for 36. I love the men and women who come to hear my songs in prison visitation rooms, chapels, and gyms. I always appreciate their spirited applause. Most of all, I love hearing their laughter as I sing humorously about my past.
These folks relate to my life and understand the pain of rejection and loss. They also know what it feels like when the world is no longer cheering you on. That’s why, at every opportunity I have, I play my heart out—not just for them, but for God.
Colossians 3:23–24 says, “Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ” (NLT).
Whenever I long for the days of performing at the Grand Ole Opry, I remind myself that I now play for a bigger and better audience—the Lord and His chosen ones. The reward that is waiting for me in heaven is far greater than any Academy of Country Music Award.
If you’re feeling overlooked and underappreciated, I want you to know that God sees you and cheers you on, no matter how many mistakes you’ve made. Just keep living for Him.
Whatever you do, do it for an audience of One, God. His applause is all you need.
Kenny Munds takes the good news of God’s love and forgiveness into prisons across America. To learn more about his ministry, go to kennymundsministry.org.
