All the World's a Stage

For the body does not consist of one member but of many.  If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body.  And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body.  If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing?  If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell?  But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.  1 Corinthians 12:14-19

 I was in a devotional time with some people at church.  The question, “how do I know what my role is?” came up.  I have a flair for the dramatic, that being said, my mind instantly thought of a play.


For Shakespeare’s play As You Like It, penned the lines, “All the world’s a stage.”  I laugh a little because Shakespeare’s theatre was the Globe.  But I think in a lot of ways he is correct.


The play is God’s story.  It began with the creation of the universe and is still going on.  The stage is the universe.  We are the actors and also the stage crew.  We all have different roles to play; sometimes we’re on the stage for a time as a supporting actor.  We may have a leading role for a time and season.  Some of us will be part of the stage crew.  And there are times when we’ll be in the audience cheering on the action on the stage.  It’s fluid, it’s dynamic.


Here’s a glimpse of the story:
Act I Rising Action: Creation and the Fall of Man
Act II Turning Points:  Patriarchs through the Prophets
Act III Climax: Birth and Death of Jesus
Act IV Falling Action: Acts to Present
Acts V Resolution: The book of Revelation

The director is God, He’s a heavy handed director.  In drama, the term heavy handed does not mean that the director is cruel.  It just simply means that the director isn’t afraid of putting his own creative spin on the script.  This play is also all about Him.


          Behind every production is a group of people who are out of the spotlight, they work tirelessly.


Every play has a crew that works entirely behind the scenes.  They’re building the sets, they’re taking care of the lighting, they’re designing the costumes.  They aren’t seen, but their presence is felt.  In our play, there are people who are interceding in prayer, they may be praying for people who they have never met and will never meet this side of heaven.  There are people who donate money to support missions.  There are people who keep church facilities clean.  Some of us will shine the spotlight directly at Jesus, while some of us shine the spotlight on one of the leading actors so they can reflect the light on Jesus.  These people may not ever get to be part of the action on the stage, but they are no less important.


          You’re in the green room, waiting for the cue.  You step out just before you were supposed to.


That’s an embarrassing moment.  Sometimes we get ahead of ourselves and say our lines at the wrong time.  Maybe we stumble on our lines.  That’s okay, remember God’s a heavy handed director.  He’s got the creative knowhow to turn even the worst of our flubs out to glorify Him and work it out for our good.  He’s a God of grace and forgiveness and He is always good in all He does.
Remember, this play is about God.  We all have our roles to fill and no one role is more important than the other.  We are all in this to glorify God, not to glorify ourselves.