Our Role
Imagine a Broadway musical where no one knows their role. The actors wander around the stage aimlessly doing whatever they feel like doing. The director's instructions are ignored in favor of 'free expression'. After all, it's their characters, who is he to tell them what to do?
Would this be a musical you would feel like watching? Or would you sit and wonder how much more entertaining an organized, cohesive display of talent and artistry would be?
Just as no actor would make it five minutes on a Broadway set without having a clear and concise understanding of their role, so we cannot expect to live a fulfilling life without knowing what our role is in God's plan.
You may have lived your whole life neglecting your role. You may not know where to start, or how God can use someone who has messed up so much. But be encouraged that it is never too late to embrace your role in God's plan.
We must embrace our identity in Christ before we can embrace our mission. So the first step is to come to saving faith in Christ Jesus; if you have not I encourage you to read Who We Are which will help you understand what that decision means.
Once you know your identity in Christ, you can begin to understand what your role entails.
Every good musical has a script. Without abiding by it, chaos ensues. And in life, we have a script as well.
We will not find our script within the confines of our culture's shallow and deceptive philosophies [1]. Neither will we find it in human tradition or the teachings our parents passed on to us. We have a script written just for us, by God Himself as He inspired godly men to write down His very words [2].
The Bible is our script [3]. Through a proper understanding of what it says, we can know our role. We don't have to search for God's will as if it is hidden, it's right within our reach. God wants us to know our role.
Just as every musical has a cast, so we cannot expect to fulfill our role in isolation. God designed us to be in fellowship with one another, and that especially goes for His church. [4]
We need a real connection with the body of Christ and the most practical way to do that is to join a Spirit-led, Bible believing church. And not just attending, but getting in the game. Knowing your fellow cast members will provide you with the support you need to fill your role.
Not everyone will have the lead role, or even have lines to be spoken. But every cast member must assume whatever role is given them knowing that the goal is to create a beautiful experience through the combined gifts of all the actors and actresses. [5]
If everyone tried to take the spotlight, the show would be reduced to nothing more than a platform for the cast to attempt to outdo each other in a vain display of selfishness. We must remember the star of the show is Christ. He alone is worthy of all the praise for assembling such a cast and paying for them himself. [6]
Learning the specifics of your role will be a life long journey. But if you surrender yourself to God, He will direct you. [7]
Scriptural references:
[1] Colossians 2:8
[2] 2 Peter 1:20-21
[3] 2 Timothy 3:16
[4] Hebrews 10:24-25
[5] Romans 12:3-8
[6] 1 Corinthians 6:20
[7] Proverbs 3:5-6