There was a kid who had been practicing day and night, thinking hard, working through sleepless nights. Preparing for the performance of his life, all of his lines had to be right. Something was stirring inside of him. It wasn’t something he really even noticed. He was far too busy preparing for his night on stage. His lines were always being recited in the back of his mind, not allowing them to be pushed out from the routine day to day. He could feel the pressure mounting; but he grew stronger as the pressure grew greater. One step at a time was what he told himself.
Finally, just when he thought the day would never come, it did. Standing just off stage he was excited, nervous, mind calm, heart racing. This was it. All the work, all the sacrifice “was it worth it,” he thought. No time for such thoughts. With a deep breath he stepped out, and the light shown bright upon him. It warmed him, as the darkness was chilly. With every moment under the light he grew more and more comfortable. This was were he needed to be, it seemed to all just flow out of him. All the diligent studying came out like a waterfall. Washing over all the ears.
As the play came to an end, the crowd erupted in applause because the message was great. A message of hope, joy, and love. Pulling them out of their mundane world into something more. Calling them up to awaken and live their lives. But he didn’t bow, he didn’t smile, he didn’t move. Furrowing his brow, he looked out into the crowd because it wasn’t for all these people that he was working day and night. Scanning and scanning, finally his eyes fell on him. Because he knew just who he was looking for.
His Father, how he didn’t see him before was a wonder but there he was. Right in the middle, smiling from ear to ear. Listening to every word. All the commotion faded and his eyes were only focused on Him. Tunnel vision. And as his Father mouthed, “Good job my son, I am so pleased with you,” a weight fell, and he was light as a feather. And with that he breathed a deep sigh of relief. And his Dad brought him home.
Matthew 6:1-4
1 "Be especially careful when you are trying to be good so that you don't make a performance out of it. It might be good theater, but the God who made you won't be applauding.
2-4"When you do something for someone else, don't call attention to yourself. You've seen them in action, I'm sure—'playactors' I call them— treating prayer meeting and street corner alike as a stage, acting compassionate as long as someone is watching, playing to the crowds. They get applause, true, but that's all they get. When you help someone out, don't think about how it looks. Just do it—quietly and unobtrusively. That is the way your God, who conceived you in love, working behind the scenes, helps you out. (The Message)
