Fundamentals of Stage Act

Life is a theater... hanging in backdrop are big masks of opposite emotions. We stage different characters in us. We sometimes are the protagonist, sometimes are the antagonist. How we are viewed anyway, is relative to every different viewer.

We, in our own self, are the best actor of our own tale. We execute our every libretto in just a take and we do it all naturally. We cry and we feel like it. We laugh and the audience in front of us will just be carried away and chuckle with us. We converse and people get persuaded. We fight and we either succeed or get defeated. We worry, we enjoy. We go fast, we pause. We share and we learn. We seek and we find. We play and we grow. We connect and we collapse. We are as if we are designed to be a person our author wants us to be. We take trail our director leads us. And all these are either what we want or what we do not - that sometimes, we tend to take steps and scripts not assigned to us. And in the long run, we'll see ourselves striving to modify the stories of our life... and all we get is discomfiture. Neither we made our stories more interesting nor our performance more promising. We fall short.

At the end of the day, we still can see that there would be no better way to move on stage gracefully than taking instructions from the one who knows the twists and turns that we need to take and know. Upon doing this we will realize, that an acting that never relates to the given story upsets the audience eyes. But a performance that goes along with the dialogue is much more worth viewing. None other can make an actor do his craft interesting but his director - the one that knows what is, nevertheless, a success.

Think about:
Psalm 32:8 - I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.

Psalm 119:105 - Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

Here’s a parallel analysis to better understand the art of theatre:

God (Director) – He instructs the actors to take a path of light. He is the one who knows which best way to go. He is certain on the fundamentals of good blocking, suitable utterance and tone modulation, fit wardrobe, appropriate locations and accurate angling. He is the big boss. And His every directive is to be followed… all for single purpose – that is for the actor to do well, to be worth the spotlight, to deserve applause on his bow.

Bible (The Script) – This is the written instruction for whatever the actor is to act, say and feel. The director knows its content in every respect and so the script should be equally obeyed. This is a guiding line that actors need to study well for the betterment of his craft.

Christians (Actors) – They are the stage’s main casts. And their effectiveness as actors depends on how they understand their roles and how they keep the Director’s words and the script’s well-organized lines. For them to remain in the limelight of deserving ovation, they need to take responsibilities:
A.Towards the Director – An attentive ear, a good submission, and readiness of heart to take challenges and so testify how great the director is. An actor should receive every instruction completely having in mind the trust that the director knows all the ins and outs of the stage.
B. Towards the Script – Actor should be reading always, and reviewing, and studying this so as to master every bit of its content. Bear in mind that understanding a role is a result of agreement between the written dialogue and the teaching of the director. And this only happens when the actor has a comprehensive knowledge of the script he is to deliver on stage.

In moving on stage of life, confidence is the best tool to be the most effective. And assurance comes only when we know that we follow all that is written in the Script (Bible) and all that our Director (God) wants us do. With all these done, we’ll be a light shining in a theater that deserves a trophy of eternal life.

WANTED: Pure Heart

In man’s quest to survive his everyday, there are factors that he is becoming heedless about. And the sad thing here is, he will only realize it when the thing is totally gone and cannot be put back ever again. As the saying goes, you will only recognize one’s worth when it is gone. So true!

This is likewise how it is in Christians’ heart.

When we speak of heart, we mean innermost being of a person that dictates how he should react to things around. It is basically the reflection of what is the reality behind the façade. It could be one of the following:

A. Self-centered Heart
a. A heart enthroning one’s self. It is driven by personal priorities and ambitions, outside God’s will and guidance. This is the heart of a natural man. Setting aside Jesus and very self-interested.

B. Divided Heart
a. A heart that considers Jesus, yet still driven by world influences. This takes Jesus as savior but not as Lord. This is a heart of a carnal Christian, who has Jesus in, but just a par of several other priorities.

C.Pure Heart
a. A heart that enthrones Jesus. This acknowledges Jesus as savior and fully submitting to his Lordship. No other priorities but Jesus, so selfless that is. This is a heart that focuses to God in every way it takes.

Ideally, many of us Christians would love to have a pure heart. But living in a world so contaminated by evil desires, and considering man’s frail relationship with God, it seems so unworkable. This is becoming rare and endangered. Many are misled by personal gains and abilities that they just reserve and don’t reflect on God’s interference.

On a contrary, living a pure heart is nevertheless viable. And it is just a matter of single sacrifice: DROP self and ENTHRONE Jesus. Letting him lead the ways of your everyday is already a good surrender and that’s how the purity of a heart is realized.

We don’t need to be relying on ourselves all the time. We don’t need to be driven by self-aspirations. We don’t have to be deceived by the power of the world. Remember that earth fades. But with Jesus as our God and savior, we are assured of eternity. And that’s the promise we must equip ourselves with… forever.

Waste no time. Don’t wait ‘til you are totally hopeless and incapable before you realize that you need guidance from above. Magnificent is our God and He alone is the way, truth and life.

Think again: We don’t need world. The world needs us rather. World is so contaminated with sins. And it needs pure hearts to light every corner of darkness. The world calls for the light of Jesus. And we have the power to bring Him to world in need.

Be a Lotus. In impure water, its beauty shines. So let’s not be swallowed by the world. Let us instead bring the world to light and testify God’s power. Shine… because the world badly needs light. You are wanted. Your pure heart is wanted.

Acknowledgment: Sermon by Ptra. Cecil Mendoza, Aug. 23, 2009, Jesus For All Ministries, KKFI Seminar Hall, Manila.