God established a covenant with Abraham. It included Abraham being the father of many nations, land and a promise of an everlasting relationship. Then….the sign. To acknowledge the covenant, a physical sign was required – circumcision. Fun, right? But, no circumcision, no participation in the covenant.
So…what about my band? Well, at my school you are a part of the Blackhawk Brigade band program, even if you are not a member of the marching band of the same name. You enjoy all the privileges and responsibilities of being in band, just like Abraham’s children and slaves (yeah, that is a whole different blog entry). But wearing the actual uniform of the brigade means you are fully committed; to extra rehearsals, to fundraising, to time away from other activities, to sitting with the band during football games instead of with your friends. The uniform signifies the sacrifices you have made. But it also signifies that you enjoy the benefits and privileges of traveling out of town, competing and winning trophies, and building lifelong relationships and memories.
The extra hours, the sweat, and the seemingly endless repetitions are not easy, but they are a small price to pay for the both the immediate and long term rewards and promises of being part of the band family, signified by your wearing of the uniform.