When the meal was through, we were asked to judge the dance competition. Hoping for some festive, fun, Christmas themed dance-off, we were fearful by the choice of outfits that we might get something a little more than we bargained for. After the first group up, the ‘Sexy Dancers’, we released the boys from their judging duty so they could go sit in the car, and talked briefly about if we should remove ourselves as judges all together.
This was certainly not the kind of thing we wanted to put a stamp of approval on. But my heart for the girls was overflowing. I could see so clearly how there was something true that their hearts are longing for, and I wanted desperately the opportunity to speak with them. I hoped that if we continued to judge, they would let us announce the winners, and we could share for a moment. After doing our best to make notes of things like ‘coordinated’ ‘use of props’ ‘smiles’ and ‘good rhythm’…. We picked our winners and were ready to announce.
My heart swelled with such deep love of the Father. A love that did not see the sin or shamefulness of the day, but instead saw the beauty and Glory of God in their hearts. A love that saw their draw to dancing and singing as being because they were formed and designed to dance before the King of Kings, and lift their voices in praise before Him. A love that saw their desire for intimacy as a need to be intimate with Jesus. A love that saw into their hard work and hours of preparation and saw a desire to be accepted and approved of by God.
So, that is the place that I spoke from. With joy in my face, and kindness in my voice, I poured out the love of the Father on them. Thanking them, affirming them in deep places, and letting them know what they were created for.
Then we were asked to give a performance ourselves. We decided to sing ‘Tree Song’, the song we have kind of dubbed as our team song. The hoop and hollars quieted down as the words of our song began to sink in. Their faces went from expecting something worldly and provocative, to hearing us sing boldly and joyfully about being a tree planted by streams of living water. After we finished, one of the women we had been praying with and ministering to earlier in the event thanked us for the meaningful song.
I am so glad that instead of condemning them by refusing to participate, we used every opportunity we were given to pour out love to them and point all the Glory back to the Father.
Thank you Jesus for the work you are doing in the garbage dump.
