Five black notes: The virtue of accommodation

“I once was lost, but now am found; was blind but now I see.”
-John Newton

Wintley Phipps, pastor, reknowned vocal artist, and founder of the U.S. Dream Academy recently made the observation that virtually all great “Negro spirituals” can be played on the five black notes of the piano. This “slave scale” was the basis of West African sorrow chants, routinely sung by slaves in captivity.

Phipps goes on to make the connection that arguably the greatest of all “White spirituals,” Amazing Grace, can also be played on the five black notes. Accident? No way. Before John Newton wrote this hymn that both acknowledges human brokenness and celebrates divine mercy he spent years as a slave ship captain. He most certainly heard this sorrow chant, again and again as he sailed back and forth from Africa to England with his human cargo…and he took this melody in, what it conveyed about pain and dignity, and it went deep. So deep that Newton had a profound and lasting conversion, became an Anglican priest, and spent the rest of his days as a powerful voice in the Abolitionist movement.

The slave scale became the melody of his hymn, and his life.

Much is made of the psychological material we all carry with us from losses, traumas, and mistakes; fears, biases, resentments, blind spots.

But what of the material we take in that changes us for the good, turns us toward healing and wholeness, compels us to serve others?

Everything can be useful; the good, the bad, and the ugly. This is the motto of the virtue of accommodation.

The virtue of accommodation is practiced when you take in new information that challenges old information, and are moved to “update” the files you’ve stored in your heart and your mind; your outdated ways of looking at the world, self, and others. And you become a better person.

New people speak to you, new struggles speak to you, new stories speak to you…maybe even a West African sorrow chant will speak to you. And in this new information you hear a deeper truth, a truth that illuminates where you are and where you need to go. Of course “new” doesn’t necessarily mean “better.” That’s where accommodation as a virtue comes in.

The virtue of accommodation breaks down barriers in our minds and hearts, and this can sometimes be painful. Many would like to continue on the well-worn, rutted path of familiarity and status-quo: “I’ve always done it this way,” “This is what I know,” “People might get angry.”

So much of growing up is about knowing what you need to hold onto and what you need to let go of; what works for you, and what is getting in the way of your work. Accommodation is essential to this process.

“I once was lost but now am found; was blind but now I see.”

John Newton practiced the virtue of accommodation. He opened up to new information, to new and deeper truth, took it in…and found himself. This is possible for us too, every day.

An amazing grace indeed.

I wish you all a most blessed Holy Week.

Questions for reflection:
Why does the virtue of accommodation matter?
Who models the virtue of accommodation for you? How?
What is one thing you can begin doing to practice the virtue of accommodation?