By: Sarah Nutter
I love acting. I’ve never been in anything huge or super-exciting, but I’ve performed in my church’s Vacation Bible School skits almost every year since I was in junior high. For this year’s VBS, which started tonight, actually, I wasn’t really pumped about my role, and it seemed nothing could get me in the VBS spirit.
I’m acting with one girl who is pretty experienced, along with two teenagers who haven’t set foot on a stage in their lives. I figured those two would be the problem — not me. But when we practiced just yesterday, I didn’t have my lines down at all. Two of my guy friends teased me mercilessly, and I responded with, “I’ll have you know that in all my years of doing this, I’ve NEVER messed up a line.”
Of course, tonight I messed up a line. I was devastated. And as soon as I walked to the back, one of the guys made a point to greet me with, “I counted TWO mistakes, Sarah. Two.” No “great job” or anything. So, pride deeply wounded, I got mad at him and didn’t let him forget it for the rest of the night. It pretty much ruined my entire evening. Up until twenty minutes ago, I was basically a pain to be around.
But, truth be told, I got mine. I bragged about my ability to memorize lines because I’m a “seasoned Vacation Bible School actress,” and I deserved that memory lapse, just to set me straight.
The reason I tell you my sad, kind of juvenile story is because the theme for this month’s issue is “Maximize the Moment.” I read over the description Alex gave us and zeroed in on this point: “courageously facing and conquering obstacles and struggles that may stand in our path to success.”
I realized that this is definitely one of my obstacles. It’s the arrogant need for people to think I’m perfect (“I never mess up my lines”). It’s the self-hatred over coming up short (“I was devastated.”) It’s the overly sensitive attitude when being teased by a good friend (“I got mad at him and didn’t let him forget it”). It’s the consistent bad mood brought about by minor faults (“It pretty much ruined my entire night”).
These things are getting in my way to success as a light for Christ. No way can I expect to have victory in the cause for Christ if I turn off the switch whenever I’m not in the mood. When I try to prove I’m perfect, or even go so far as to tell people so. When I get upset at a harmless joke. When I walk around with a frown on my face.
It just doesn’t work that way.
So tonight, this very moment, I’m going to fix my attitude. I’m going to recognize that I AM imperfect, that I DO need to just laugh my mistakes off, and that nothing is so bad that it excuses turning off my light.
I’d encourage you to do what I’m doing: examine negative experiences and figure out where you went wrong (not where they went wrong). Then figure out how it’s hindering your success as a witness for Christ. And maybe, while you’re doing that, you might just turn up the lights.
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