The Cosmic Drama

The place was an elementary school in Janiuay, a town about an hour north of our city. The event was a school play, every grade having a different part. I sat among proud parents, each excited to see their child prodigy on public display. The beginning act was the 1st graders lip-syncing and dancing to the music of a recent hit song. At one point on cue, they lifted their hands in unison. Except for one little girl at the front who, eying and waving to her family, was more concerned about being seen than in playing her part. The little girl missed her cue, a small embarrassment for the director, yet the play went on as it had been written.

In real life, missing our cues carries greater weight. During WWII, as the Allies pushed toward Germany, a soldier was chosen by his buddies to leave the trenches under heavy fire in order to go get more ammunition. After collecting several boxes of bullets, the soldier began his trek back to the trenches, only to be stopped by the irresistible enticing aroma of freshly brewed coffee. With the sound of gunfire in the distance, the soldier stopped to enjoy a well-deserved coffee break. Later, when he crawled back into the trench, his buddies laid lifeless, sprawled on their backs, fresh blood still oozing from their fatal wounds. Their guns empty. The soldier had missed his cue. The war was still won, but the soldier’s failed part in the epic event resulted in tragedy.

I wonder how often I miss my cues in life? Last Dec. 31, David spent New Year’s Eve with Jun, a Filipino family friend who is now living in Virginia with his wife and children. In 1993, I met Jun in the Philippine city of Roxas, where he was a radio reporter. We had just opened our Christian Family Resource Center and I thought Jun might announce its opening for us on the radio. As Jun was leaving the Center, he made a passing comment about religion. That was my cue, and I almost missed it. Hesitantly, I asked if I could share something to him. He agreed and a short time later made his profession of faith in Christ.

Jun went on to become a TV newscaster in the big city of Iloilo, sometimes appearing in the national media. He was always faithful to reflect the Spirit of Christ in his ethics and personal testimony, influencing others to follow Jesus. While exposing a corruption scandal that threatened his life, the Philippine government granted Jun asylum in the States, where he is now a leader in his church. I shudder to think how close I came to missing my cue. I shudder even more to think of the many times I HAVE missed my cues, and the tragedies that may have resulted because of my selfishness.

All of us are part of a bigger drama, the story of God’s redemptive plan for mankind. The Bible tells us how the story begins and how it will end. And God assigns to each of us a part. If we miss our cues, like the little girl in the school play, the drama will go on, but our part in it will be a blemish to the story and an embarrassment for the Director. Like the soldier who missed his cue, our flubbed parts may have tragic consequences, although we know who wins in the end. Like the little girl, we often make the mistake in thinking the story is about us. But our wants, our feelings, our health, our prosperity, our ambitions, our comforts are not the central plot of the story. These are not the reasons God puts us in the play. There is a bigger drama going on!

In his book, God of My Father, Larry Crabb refers to life as a story, a cosmic drama in which the Master Storyteller invites us to enter. "We often want Him to direct His creative talents to a script we write. But He will have none of that. He insists on writing, producing, directing, casting, and starring in the eternal drama. He shares with His friends the central plot; He tells them what parts they can play, parts written precisely to match the person's background, circumstances, and talent. Then He invites them to assemble on the cosmic stage to enter the play, without audition or practice. We never quite know how our few lines move the story along, but two things quickly become clear: one, none of us is the hero of the drama; and two, each of our roles, properly played, is taxing - following the script means giving up our comfort. We flub our lines regularly, but the Director never loses patience. He doesn't seem to mind the endless retakes. All that matters is that we not quit."

Friend, life is taxing. The world is a weary drama. But don’t give up! What cues is the Lord giving you? What part has God called upon you to play? In your life, is there a depressed friend, a financial need, an unexpected message, an inward prompting, a lonely child, a passing comment. The cues are all around us! And our response is always to act in faith, to respond in such a way that will bring honor and glory to the hero of the story, the humble God/man from Galilee who gave His life as a ransom for all.

I shared these thoughts with a young missionary friend whose wife just gave birth last month to a down syndrome baby. The script God writes for us is one we would never have chosen. From this side of heaven’s gate, our part in the eternal drama seems messy, troublesome, and simply unfair. But from the perspective of eternity, we will look back. And, if by God’s grace we played our parts well, we will be amazed at how much the Divine Director entrusted us with our part in the drama. We will marvel how our life gave us unique opportunities to reflect, through persevering faith, the incomparable depth and richness of Jesus Christ, the hero of the story.

So, don’t give up. May you hear the cues and play your part well so that, when your part in the cosmic drama is over, and the curtains fall on the story of your life, the heavenly host will shout their approval with resounding applause and a standing ovation!