Paying Attention to the Right Thing

Background

A recent event in my life has helped me rethink what I should be paying attention to.

I participated in organizing a reunion of a Christian theatre group that I belonged to many years ago. We presented a two hour show at a local theatre where we showed some video clips of our original performances, testimonials of what it was like back in the day, as well as some new material created for the show.

In addition, we held a reception dinner after the show so that we could reconnect to folks that we had not seen in many years.

The last two weeks of preparation were busy, but the last 3 or 4 days were very intense. This is the story of some of the lessons I learned.

The Wrong Story

During the reception dinner, I talked with a couple and got caught up on the man’s career in music ministry in the church. I responded by recounting my work history that took a very circuitous route ending in the computer industry.

That night after going to sleep, I woke up about 3 AM unable to sleep. I started thinking about the events of the past few weeks: the show, the dinner, and all the preparation we put in to prepare for the reunion.¹

It was then, in the middle of the night, that I realized that I had recounted the wrong story to the couple. I had told them my work history -interesting perhaps, but not really important. I realized that I had missed telling them the story of my spiritual journey -which is the most important story I have to tell.

I had paid attention to the wrong thing!

My spiritual story is the journey of how God has worked in my life, what He has taught me, and how I have grown as a Christian. This spiritual story is the message of my life. This story is what I should be recounting to folks when asked, “What have you been up to?” -not my work history.

I should be telling the story of my relationship with my creator.

The Show

Putting on the show and dinner was a real collaborative effort. For the show, we had new material to write, hours of video editing of the old footage, organizing rehearsals, sewing costumes, building props, editing scripts, and many other tasks. I’m sure I missed some things, but you get the idea. We were a team with a lot of work to do.

This became a picture to me of the church. We have a common goal, but don’t all perform the same tasks. In order for the body of believers to be effective, we must each execute the tasks God gives us, using the gifts and talents He has given. We do this by faith: faith that He will lead us; and, faith that He will work through us.

My part in the show, was to implement and fine tune the presentation by being the stage manager. But I almost missed it.

Reflections During the Night

One of the things I realized there in the middle of the night, was that God uses events and circumstances to teach us something in that moment. Then, He uses that lesson later in order to accomplish another task. The new task also contains a teaching lesson for us and others. In other words, all of the lessons and growth in my life contribute and enable me to do greater tasks. This process is part of God’s sanctifying work in our lives.

Our theatre production became to me a lesson in the working of the various parts to carry out a common goal. One of the lessons is that God provides what is needed at the right time.² Below are my view of three of those parts: the producer; the technician; and, the stage manager.

The Producer

One of the members of our team had been involved in other theatre productions. It appears to me, that these productions taught him valuable lessons on what it takes to prepare and organize a theatrical presentation. He became one of the producers for our show.

Evidence of his suitability for the role came when he said that he ‘enjoyed the process’ all along the way. He could say that because he was able to step back and watch God working in the bigger picture. The parts we needed came into place when needed -sometimes much later in the process than I was comfortable with.

Early on in our planning meetings he said, “We need a stage manager.” That statement didn’t mean too much to me, because I was the drummer, and expected to be playing in the band for the show. Also, I didn’t know what a stage manager did, so I did not comprehend the importance of that role.

When the band did not materialize, the producer asked me if I would be the stage manager. I didn’t know what the role entailed, but I thought I could help, so I said yes -not knowing what I had committed myself to. More on this later.

The Technician

Another example of God providing, at the right time, is seen in the technician. The day of the performance, one or our electronic components failed to connect. Our set up required two guys to coordinate the playing of our numerous video, still³, and sound files. One of the two people was a computer guy, and the other person, the technician.

We had arrived early that day in order to have a technical rehearsal in the theatre which was a new environment to us. Not only was our schedule thrown off, but we could not do the show without this component.

In addition to all this, we were under staffed and needed someone on stage to work with the actors, who could help them with their microphones, who knew the theatre, who knew our show, and would not have to be trained. I had failed to get the proper training and practice for the actors with the headset microphones. I planned to rehearse with the headsets, but in the hectic last couple of days before the show, I had forgotten all about it.

Because of the incompatible computer connections, the show seemed like it would be a bust. All of the content that connected the scenes and message of our show was contained in the video. I informed the producer of the problem but he was unfazed. I was too busy to be concerned about the problem -plus I thought our computer guy and the technician would figure it out. Little did I know that it was God working to bring about a personnel shift.

Our sound engineer brought us a solution which only required one man to operate the equipment. The problem was solved in such a way that freed up the very person we needed to complete our staff. As soon as I saw that the technician was free, I asked him to fill the missing position on stage. At the time, I didn’t realize how important this decision was. It was one link in the chain of events that enabled us to bring about God’s purpose in the presentation of the show.

Stage Manager

I asked a friend with theatre experience about the job of a stage manager (SM). He said that a SM coordinates the logistics of the production. Coordinating logistics sounded like something I could do, so I was at ease with my decision to do the job.

I found out just today some of the qualities needed to be successful as a SM. A site offering master classes in the arts and entertainment listed these 7 necessary skills:⁴ Communication skills; Managerial expertise; Multitasking ability; Organizational prowess; Overall versatility; Spatial awareness; and, Theatrical experience.

I wanted to present the best possible show, and without knowing the job, I just did what needed to be done. Perhaps I have more of these qualities than I thought.

It turned out that who God made me to be, and the lessons God has taught me over the years, contributed to me being the right person for the job. Looking back, I suspect that the producer knew these things about me, and knew early on that I was a fit for the position.

Behind the Curtain

At the end of the show, the very last thing is a recorded message that ends with, “Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.” It was a funny line and I heard the audience laugh. Despite what the message said, what I thought was, “there is someone behind ‘the curtain,’ and He is God.” God is behind the scenes orchestrating the events in our lives so that we might look for Him and have a relationship with Him.⁵

Conclusion

There were many other lessons I learned that I did not tell. All of these combined together to have a great impact on me. Here are some final thoughts:

I cried at the thought that God loves me enough to work in my life and in the lives of those around me, so that I could find Him and know Him. God working in me does not stop there. I contribute to God’s work by telling someone what God has taught me, and God then teaches them. This is the Holy Spirit working. Thank you, Jesus!

I don’t believe that what you just read would exist if I had slept through the night. Or, that I had not thought some weeks earlier, “I think I should put a pad of paper and pen beside my bed so I could write down thoughts that seemed to be keeping me awake.” (I thought that if I wrote them down, then I wouldn’t have to think about them any more and could go back to sleep.)

God wants you to grow and to teach you. It is amazing to me that God uses us in the lives of others to provide the lessons, the answers, and even the questions so that we will search for God. This is God’s love for us on display.

As someone who started asking the question, “Why am I here?” as a teenager, and still asks the question today, I am being given the answer. God patiently provides the answer, and I just need to pay attention to the right thing to see it.⁶

Appendix

Paying attention to the right things can help us continue being faithful. Please read, Persevering in the Faith, for more on what we should give our attention to.

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1 It took about one year of planning and preparation to put on the reunion show and reception.

2 The idea that God provides at the right time is gloriously demonstrated in the appearance of the Son. “For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.” Romans 5:6

3 We used pictures for our backdrops instead of theatrical flats. We called these pictures a ‘still.’

4 https://www.masterclass.com/articles/stage-manager 8/22/23

5 Acts 17:26 “and He made from one, every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times, and the boundaries of their habitation, 27 that they should seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us.”

6 One of the answers is found in Micah 6:8 “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”