The director shouts, “Lights, Camera, Action!”. In William Shakespeare’s “As You Like It”, Act 2 Scene 7 Jacques says, “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players; they have their exits and their entrances, and one man in his time plays many parts”. While in high school, I had the opportunity to participate in several theater productions. As many of you know, these productions require a tremendous amount of work and many hours of rehearsal before the play is ready for action. Oft heard is the director’s call for lights, camera, and action!
In my first play, a musical, I had a very minor role with just one spoken line. I remember the director constantly telling me I was in the wrong place. I missed my queue and wasn’t facing in the right direction, etc. These errors caused the director to shout, “CUT!”. What followed was telling the entire production crew what I had just done wrong. And then we start over. Retakes from my mistakes. I learned a great deal from that first play, and my next effort was much better.
Life is like theater
Jacques had it right. Life is a lot like a theater production, except our heavenly director, is far more kind and patient. In life, more frequently than I desire, I’m in the wrong place. I miss my queue and am caught facing the wrong direction. Patiently, God, my heavenly director, whispers, “Roy, let’s try that again, shall we?”. He is far more patient with me than I will ever be with myself. God directs me back to the script He’s given me, the scriptures. And I study the lines of “actors” who came before me and read how they performed in the most difficult of productions. Then, I try my lines again, hoping to get them right this time.
What I frequently fail to realize is that I’m only in Act II of this production of my existence which will be a much longer play. I don’t remember Act I, or the role I played in it. But I do know that I learned a great deal from it to prepare me for Act II. Act II is a test to see if I can truly follow The Director of my life and obey his commands. I must learn how to perform my role and do my part to the best of my ability. The Director knows I will not perform Act II perfectly, and that’s ok. Perfection will not happen until Act III and that was always part of His plan. Because of the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ, I can become a perfect actor.
On to Act III
Act III is still unknown, though I have a script from others who have seen a glimpse of what Act III will be like. The script tells me a bit about what to expect when the curtain rises, and who will be on the stage. The disciple Stephen said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.” Act III will be a glorious finish to a production that started ages ago. You are all invited to come and see the final, perfected version of “The Life of Roy”. I’ll bring popcorn and I hope you will join me.
