Freeze Framing

My nose itched, my foot trembled, I was crushing my friend Morgan under the weight of my dress shoes on top of her heels, a guy just stabbed himself, and I had to go to the bathroom.

And this was the third time this situation happened this week alone!

I've never been in a musical before. I've never really thought about looking to be in a musical for that matter. And it wasn't like I had much time to think about being in a musical before I was given a costume and props and told to sing in front of several hundred people. Apparently that was the strategy used by my directors to get me on stage, and it worked devilishly well I might add! Now, I was standing in front of several hundred people in a freeze frame on stage, pretending to hold back a bunch of "townspeople" from intruding on the climax of the musical. All I can remember, though, is how bad my nose itched... and how bad I had to use the bathroom!

Frozen and contorted in the most awkward positions, my fellow actors and I did our best to stand still while the leads played out a dramatic death scene. I can't tell you what the scene looks like. Not because I don't want to give away the ending of the play, it's just that I've never actually seen this scene before. My back has been turned to the scene every time we've rehearsed it. And somehow, I managed to place myself in such a way that exerts the optimum about of physical pain on my body. Either someone's stepping on my foot, clawing at my arm, squishing me between someone else, or is falling on top of me. Twenty-five rehearsals later and I'm thinking that worker's compensation is a bright alternative for me!

It's the most important scene in the whole performance, and as an extra for the scene, frozen and contorted in painful glory, it's easy to forget what the scene is going on behind us. Much like our lives, we play our part, the same one we've played hundreds of times before, and easily lose sight of the greater picture behind us. We feel contorted and awkward, with noses itching and people stepping on our toes. But we can not lose sight of the greater picture.

Even though things may feel boring and tedious, awkward and clumsy, or repetitive and dry, there's very possibly an incredible climax going on right behind us, changing hundreds of people's perception of the greater story. At work, at school, around town, the simple and small things we do often have a profound impact on the people watching our "performance." It's easy to forget that we are constantly under the scrutiny of other people and that we are contributing members to a greater story. But in those tiring and sometimes dull moments, a great climax is taking place right behind us! So keep standing, keep giving it your all, and if you have to itch your nose during the middle of a performance, avoid scratching it at all costs!

"Consider now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a temple as his sanctuary; be courageous and act!" 
I Chronicles 28:10



KB