Have you ever been in the presence of unrecognized greatness—or passed by unappreciated beauty?

Years ago, I was at a shopping mall when I heard an announcement: Wayne Gretzky—“The Great One”—was in the building, meeting fans. But since hockey wasn’t really my thing, I didn’t bother walking a few extra steps. I missed my opportunity to meet one of the greatest athletes of all time. It’s something I still think about.

But here’s another story of missed greatness—one that has captivated and haunted many more people.

On a chilly January morning, a man stood in a Washington, D.C., metro bus and subway station wearing jeans, a T-shirt, and a baseball cap. He took out his violin, placed a case on the ground in front of him, and began to play.

For the next 43 minutes, he performed six classical masterpieces by Bach and Schubert — including some of the most technically demanding compositions ever written — on a 1713 Stradivarius violin, valued at over $3.5 million.

Nearly 1,100 people passed by what appeared to be, at first glance, a street musician. Most were commuters on their way to work. A few tossed coins into the case without stopping. A handful paused for a moment. Only seven people stayed to listen for more than a minute.

He earned $32.17.

There was no applause. No crowd. No recognition.

But the man playing that morning was not an amateur. It was Joshua Bell, one of the finest concert violinists in the world — highly acclaimed internationally — an artist often described as a genius. Just two nights earlier, he had played a sold-out performance in Boston, where tickets went for over $100 apiece. Honoured in a concert hall but ignored in the subway station.

The entire event was a social experiment organized by The Washington Post to explore a question: Would people recognize beauty if it showed up in an unexpected setting?

Jen McGivney said that for years, she had been haunted by the fact that she was likely one of those commuters on that January morning who failed to stop and appreciate the opportunity of a lifetime. She passed by.

She posted the actual video of Joshua Bell performing that morning at the subway station. She wrote: “It can be torturous to watch and even more torturous to ask yourself the hard question: given the same scenario, would you have stopped to listen? Or would you be among the 1,070 people scurrying past?”  (1)

Spiritual Reflections — The Greater Beauty

The Bible records a time when people walked past someone far greater than Joshua Bell— and failed to see His worth.

During His 33 years on earth, Jesus Christ lived among ordinary people. The majority did not appreciate who was living in or visiting their towns. He wore street clothes and appeared to be just another man. There was nothing remarkable about His facial appearance or His physique that would cause people’s jaws to drop in awe.

Seven hundred and fifty years before Jesus was born, the Prophet Isaiah wrote about how Christ would be perceived and received when He came to earth to be the Saviour of sinners.

“…He had no stately form or majesty that might catch our attention, no special appearance that we should want to follow him.” Isaiah 53:2 NET 

People saw no beauty in Jesus. Of course, they loved the miracles He performed. So many of their loved ones had been healed from diseases and conditions for which there were no remedies. But most dismissed Him because He did not fit their expectations of greatness. Just like the commuters who rushed past Bell, they failed to pause and recognize that they were in the presence of divine beauty—God in human flesh.

If you are wondering where to read in the Bible to appreciate Jesus as the Christ and to understand that He was no less than God visiting us in human flesh, read the Gospel of John. Seven specific miraculous signs are recorded by John as conclusive evidence that Jesus was the very Son of God. John wrote at the end of his book:

“Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” (John 20:30–31)

It is almost incomprehensible that the Creator of our universe, stepped into the human family by way of the virgin birth in Bethlehem, grew up in Nazareth, a remote village, walked the dusty roads, sailed across the Galilean Lake, mingled with everyone and blessed all those who would come to Him, and yet, the Bible records this about Him:

He was despised and rejected by men, a man of suffering who knew what sickness was. He was like someone people turned away from; he was despised, and we didn’t value him. (Isaiah 53:3 CSB)

As we read the four Gospels in the New Testament of the BIBLE (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) we see the beauties each of those writers appreciated about the Lord Jesus Christ. What an amazing 33 years on Planet Earth!

The Cross: Beauty in the Most Unexpected Place

Jesus didn’t just live among us—He came to die for our sins. He didn’t come to merely visit or dispense a few blessings and teach great things — He came to be our Saviour, which would involve His death on a Cross. He came to earth knowing that He would bear our sins on the Cross and in so doing, pay the’ penalty for our sins in full so we could be saved.

Christ came to Earth and went to the cross knowingly, willingly and lovingly for sinners.

On the side of a busy, highly travelled road outside Jerusalem, as Jesus hung on the middle cross in shame and in great pain, people literally walked right past Christ on the Cross and kept on going. Some looked and shook their heads and passed by. Others joined the religious hatred against Jesus and mocked Him as they passed by.

Those who passed by were yelling insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross!” (Matthew 27:39-40 CSB)

Think about it – they were walking on the ancient Jerusalem bypass road, and as they passed by Jesus hanging in shame on the cross, some yelled at Him. Some remembered His sermons and what He had preached earlier. They saw no beauty in Him. They despised and rejected Him — after all, He sure did not look like their concept of Deity or what they expected of God or their Messiah. Crucified on a Cross. What shame and weakness! They saw no evidence of the strength one would expect of a Mighty Deliverer.

They missed the most profound moment of beauty and love the world has ever known. He wasn’t there because He was weak. He was there because of the strength of Who He was — the perfect Lamb of God, the Son of God from Heaven—the only One qualified to die for our sins.

But the people’s perception of who He was, did not diminish His identity or alter the reality of who He was — the very Son of God from Heaven. The perceptions of the hurried commuters did not diminish Joshua Bell’s genius or lessen his credentials or greatness.

Will You Pass By Too?

Had you been in the subway that morning, would you have stopped to listen to Joshua Bell?

More importantly, if you had been walking the road outside Jerusalem that day, would you have stopped to look at Jesus—really looked—or would you have passed by? Would you continue on your journey or would you stop at the foot of the Cross and ponder deeply the “why” question?

Many still pass by today. Some admire Jesus’ teachings and respect His integrity and character. Some acknowledge His impact on history. But few stop to see the beauty and the personal relevance of the Cross.

Yet now, unlike those in the crowd in AD 33, you know why He died and that He rose again. You have God’s completed Record—the Holy Bible.

You know why He died.

Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures … He was raised on the third day … 1Corinthians 15:3-4 (CSB)

He himself bore our sins in His body on the tree…1 Peter 2:24 (CSB)

For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the Righteous for the unrighteous, that He might bring you to God. 1 Peter 3:18 (CSB)

For while we were still helpless, at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly. For rarely will someone die for a just person—though for a good person perhaps someone might even dare to die. But God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:6-8 CSB

God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and humanity, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all…1 Timothy 2:3-6 CSB

What Is Jesus Worth to You?

You may know all about Jesus. But do you value Him? Do you recognize the beauty and worth of what He did for you on the Cross?

In 25 words or less, share what Jesus means to you.
(Use the comment section below.)

“God our Savior… wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth… Christ Jesus… gave Himself as a ransom for all.” — 1 Timothy 2:3–6 (CSB)

Don’t walk past Him again.

Quotes:

1. https://blogs.wdav.org/2014/09/joshua-bell-the-subway-part-ii-an-experiment-of-beauty-and-context/

Sources:

• https://joshuabell.com/
• https://www.pbs.org/newshour/arts/grammy-winning-violinist-joshua-bell-takes-another-turn-at-a-subway-concert
• https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/magazine/pearls-before-breakfast-can-one-of-the-nations-great-musicians-cut-through-the-fog-of-a-dc-rush-hour-lets-find-out/2014/09/23/8a6d46da-4331-11e4-b47c-f5889e061e5f_story.html
• https://themusicalheritagesociety.com/blogs/news/joshua-bell-from-subway-performer-to-world-class-violinist?srsltid=AfmBOoqOWyNSLDvDh7uM_nBhi7-AIAcFZz3gds3LO53ZKCvNmew_nisD