It might sink a few T.V. shows like “American Idol” and “So You Think You Can Dance,” but I think it might be a very good thing if we all recognized and accepted where our natural talents lie, and especially where they do not.
One gift I definitely don’t have, for example, is the ability to get up on stage and act.
I was thinking about this the other day because it will soon be time for church choirs throughout the land to begin rehearsing for Christmas programs. Whenever holiday cantata season rolls around, my mind hearkens back to the last time I had a part in a dramatic production.
It was more than 30 years ago and our church choir was performing an Easter musical. I was in the choir and every singer was also required to take a speaking part. I knew I was a lousy actress, to put it mildly, so I begged for the smallest possible role.
My wish was granted and I was cast as a healed leper. I had but six little words to utter: “My spots…my spots…they’re gone!”
Simple enough, except for the ridiculous irony of it all, since I am literally covered with spots—thousands and thousands of freckles. Instead of being a poignant reminder of the healing power of Jesus, my scene was more like a vaudeville skit. I think my rolling eyes probably didn’t help.
No, acting is definitely not my forte. In fact, I’ve never been good at pretending. I was a Walter Cronkite kid—busy commentating on what was actually happening instead of playing make-believe. I was into newspapers, not fairy tales.
That leper performance mercifully brought down the curtain on my acting career, but I realize I’m still dealing with two issues strangely relevant to that experience: The conviction that I should never pretend to be something I’m not, and the stress of living with all these doggone “spots.”
First, about pretending. I may not be able to act my way out of a paper bag onstage, but regrettably, I do sometimes catch myself acting in real life. Acting like I trust God more than I do, acting like I am more together than I really am. It’s pointless and probably about as convincing as my healed leper performance.
What’s in our hearts always eventually spills out, so it’s better to be real with ourselves, others, and especially with God.
God makes it pretty clear in the Bible that He isn’t into pretending or pretenders. Remember the story of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5? I encourage you to look it up, but be warned: this story is not for the faint or fake of heart.
Honesty always seems to be the essential first step toward redemption and transformation.
And now, about the issue of my infernal “spots.” Well, my personal galaxy of freckles doesn’t seem so harmless or humorous to me anymore—not since three of those spots turned out to be melanomas a few years ago.
Thankfully, we caught them early and like that healed leper, I can say, “They’re gone!” But I have to diligently “spot watch” for the rest of my days now, always searching for freckles that go rogue.
I can’t act like it never worries me. I can’t pretend my faith is so strong that I’m never scared of this serial killer—melanoma—that has already come knocking on my door three times.
But here’s what I can do: I can choose to focus on what I absolutely know for sure—God is good; He holds my life squarely in His all-powerful hands; and He loves me.
That is no act. That’s the truth, and truth is powerful.
More powerful than fear, more peaceful than pretending.