Back Stage

It’s taken nearly half a century for me to figure out a key reality about life: real life happens back stage.

As I stood with the congregation for worship this morning my mind reflected back on my week.  I pondered the moments I had spent in worship throughout the week in the hidden sanctuary of my own bedroom—alone.  With an audience of One, I expressed my thoughts, prayers and songs of worship.  Sunday morning worship is simply a continuation of worship, shared with my brothers and sisters in Christ.

It all starts back stage, where no one is watching.

Every area of life must find its origin back stage before entering center stage.

For example, parenting isn’t what happens on stage, but rather a byproduct of what has been happening for months and years backstage, in the sacred place we call home.  Parenting is what happens as you tuck your daughter into bed after a tough day at school and attempt to explain to her why girls can be so mean.  One day in a stage-left moment, barely visible to the audience, your daughter may be the one who speaks words of kindness when kindness is not merited.  

Athleticism and musical talent are often years in the making before seen by the smallest of audiences.  The back stories of those who have stolen the show with their magnificent talents are often marked with many years of struggles and failures back stage.  

The ultimate example of a person who spent most of His life back stage, away from the crowds, away from the fame, was the Son of God—Jesus.

Jesus never drew attention to Himself, everything He did was to bring glory to His Father.  For the first thirty years of His life, few knew who He was yet He never needed the applause of man to affirm Him; only the heart of His Father.  Though faced with every temptation known to man, He remained sinless and unwavering in His devotion to serve an audience of One.  

When the time came for Jesus' ministry to begin on stage, He poured out of Himself all that He had received from His Father while in the secret places, back stage, away from the crowds.  Everything He said and everything He did was done to promote God, not Himself.  Jesus never sought out center stage, never wanted the spotlight to rest on Him.

And when, at the end of His life, Jesus was given center stage, He willingly accepted the role as He hung on a cross with nails in His hands and feet, a crown of thorns upon His head.  In the moment that He took our sins upon Himself so that we might one day spend eternity with Him in Paradise—in that moment His Father turned His back on Him and He was left alone to feel the weight of sin and darkness.  It was in His greatest moment of anguish that He drew His last breath and spoke His last words, “It is finished.”  

And then the stage went black.  The main character was dead.  His life given so that we might have eternal life.  

Back stage doesn’t prepare us for a big moment on center stage where we can receive applause from an audience.  Back stage is where we are strengthened at the feet of the One who went before us so that when He calls us to the stage, we are able to pour out to others the same sacrificial love that was once poured out for us.

Stay the Course...

Sheila