The Touch of Master's Hand

Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer
Thought it scarcely worth his while
To waste his time on the old violin
But he held it up with a smile.

"What am I bid, good folks?"he cried
"Who'll start the biding for me?
A dollar, a dollar--now 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 up all the strings,
He played a melody pure and sweet
As sweet as an angel sings.

The music ceased and the auctioneer,
With a voice that was quiet and low,
Said: "What am I bid 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 quite understand-
What changed its worth?" The man replied:
"The touch of the master's hand "
And many a man with life out of tune,
And battered and torn with sin,
Is auctioned cheap to a thoughtless crowd,
Much like the old violin.

A mess of pottage, a glass of wine,
A game, and he travels on.
He is going once and going twice,
He is 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