God the Director
Last week I wrote about God being the director and us, the actors on the stage of life. I was not talking about God the puppeteer and us the puppets. The relationship between us and God when we have surrendered our lives is like how the director and actors work together in a stage play: the actor develops the character, plays the part assigned with integrity, might even help rewrite some of the dialogue to be truer to the character, all in consultation with the director and writer. The more experienced the actor, the more the director might pay attention to his suggestions. In a stage play the script is considered a work in progress; through the rehearsals everyone gets a sense of how true the script is to the plot and the characters; the dialogue is rewritten as needed.
To a certain extent a staged play is a collaboration between the director and the actors and the dramatist as well. Ultimately it is the director’s role to guide the production and the actors’ role to support the director’s vision. The staged play is a good model of how the relationship between God and us can be when we have surrendered our lives to God.
God is the “director/writer” who works with “actors” he created to play a certain role in the world’s drama. When we agree to be directed and led by God, we collaborate or co-create with him. We contribute our best efforts towards realizing the plan, bringing in the kingdom, all subject to God’s agreement. This requires quite a lot of time spent getting to know God and conferring, back and forth, until we’re sure of the role we are to play at any given time.
Sometimes we have to act on the spur of the moment because of the situation we are facing. A quick prayer asking to be led in what to say or do will suffice. Other times God has prepared us in advance with words to say or ideas to espouse or actions to take. Then we just follow the script.
As you well know there is chaos in the world; since we have free will, we can choose to go along with the “director’s” plan or not. It seems that the vast majority opt out of the kingdom’s plan. Yet all people seem to long for the peace and love and fulfillment that playing our part in life’s drama would bring. So why not start? Get comfortable with the purpose of your life. What excites and sustains you? What fulfills you? What do you believe you were created to do? What is God calling you to? Leave behind the culture’s and your family’s ideas for your life. Look to God for how to fulfill your destiny. Ask for help to break the outer bonds and to create the close inner bonds with God. Look for inner resonance and the true expression of who you are.
Be inspired by others who have walked the walk, but don’t try to be them. Be yourself. Do what you were created to do. Be at peace with yourself and others. Love. Pay attention to the “director.” Put his ideas first. Ask for God’s help always. The life you live will then be truly your own.