I grew up without television ( it wasn’t that long ago!) and our church was not into ‘plays’ so I really did not have much exposure to ‘acting’ until I went to school.
My teacher was quite musical and creative and liked to put together nice programs for the parents at Christmas time.
The first year I was in her class – she had grades 4-6 in one room—she gave me a part in the play, “A Christmas Carol”.
I was Tiny Tim.
We practiced and practiced… but I was so uncomfortable.
I remember when we were performing it in front of our parents and my cue came to walk on stage , limping. I couldn’t do it… I kept thinking… ‘There is nothing wrong with my leg… I don’t want the people to think there is !’
My teacher prompted in a stage whisper, “Limp!” but much as I always tried to please her… I could not make my leg limp.
I realized that day that I would never pursue an acting career.
Hipocrisy , dishonesty, deceitfulness doesn’t appeal to me. I look for authenticity and sincerity.
We , as believers, are called to be sincere…..
“That you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ being ‘filled’ with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God.” (Phil. 1:10,11)
Do you know where the word ‘sincere’ comes from ?
Our English word comes from the Latin word sinecera… Sine meaning without and cera meaning wax.
Ancient sculptors in Rome or Greece would try to hide flaws in their sculptures by filling them in with wax…presenting them to be what they were not. It was only a matter of time until the wax would crumble away and the original flaw revealed to the embarrassment of the sculptor and the detriment of his reputation.
A perfect sculpture was literally ‘without wax’.
That is what we are called to be… so completely sincere – without wax, …that we do not try to show ourselves to be other than who we are – being willing to be vulnerable rather than insincere .
When we come to Christ in humble repentance – all our wax stripped away – He sees us just as we are but accepts us in His love and forgiveness.
But here is a beautiful thing…. He does not leave us with our flaws and brokenness exposed for all to see. He offers His own ‘wax’ that will not chip away – it will keep us ‘without offence’ until He returns.
What are we to use as ‘filling’ ?? Fruits of righteousness – and not by our own strength… but by Jesus Christ ---by the enabling power of His grace.
Are you busy , daily, making sure all your 'flaws' are filled with fruits of righteousness??
“I in them, and you in me that they may be made PERFECT in one, and that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them as you have loved me.” ( John 17:23)
5 comments:
Julie, I've never thought of acting in a play as deceitful but I can certainly see your point.
I guess there are a few things that you and I don't have in common since I've always thought that being on stage would be quite fun, I think in part I like amusing people. Anyways . .
I certainly am thankful that I can count on my flaws being filled by God's grace. What a perfect gift.
Lovella, maybe me being the oldest of my siblings and you being the baby in your family could make the difference in our 'stage' experience.
You were born with an audience that loved to watch you perform!! I had to be an example.
Ah so true, also, probably because our mom was always encouraging us to play for affertory and woe is us if we were asked to do something in church and say no.
Even really young I loved to be in plays . ..
hugs . .
Oh Julie, you have no idea what this post means to me today. I have had a bad day. You can read all about it at Yokoso...but let's just say, I cried a bit reading what you wrote here, about God being our wax that will never chip away. I feel so decapitated right now, with waxless gaping holes. I have prayed today too that God would basically be my wax. That he'd make me strong, complete and able. I am a very vulnerable person right now and it's painful!!!
I was interested in reading about the earlier Mennonite leaders in BC. One of them railed against fiction in literature, as being untrue and therefore deceitful. I know one older woman who tells parents not to read their children stories with talking animals, because that would teach against God's creation.
Do you remember Pat Boone refusing to kiss Shirley Jones in a movie because he was a married man and that would be breaking his vows? Boy howdy, have we come a long way since then, and I think in the wrong direction!
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