Getting
lost in the fantasy world of musicals has always been a source of relaxation
and enjoyment. While coasting through
theater announcements I was thrilled to discover that Mary Poppins, the musical
was coming to our city. In the world of Mary Poppins, being a chimney sweep, or
a nanny becoming desirable careers, and a spoon full of sugar makes everything
better. We booked tickets as close to the stage as we could and waited for the
day when we could learn more about those 19 consonants and 19 vowels placed
together in one crazy word.
When the
day arrived, we settled into our seats and enjoyed every minute of the
performance. At the conclusion of the
play, everybody cheered with joyous applause as the cast took their bows. The
play concluded with one more rendition of Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.
As the song began, a little girl, of no more than three years, could hold
herself back no longer. She pushed her
way into the isle, where she sang and dance to the best of her ability. Though
the cast was singing their swan song, hundreds of eyes were on this precious
little girl who could not contain her joy.
As I
watched this little girl, I forgot that I was at the theater, and my mind
transitioned to my faith in Jesus. The
Bible tells us that Jesus is a source of great joy. He produced boldness in the
apostles, vibrancy in the church, and the conviction that a spoon full of grace
made everything better. I thought about
today’s perfectly choreographed church services, practiced and timed to the
minute to insure that everything flows perfectly. But, God’s swan song should
have us dancing in the isles with unbridled joy. Jesus Christ has died for our sin, freed us
from bondage, and offered us life with him in the glory of a city paved with
streets of gold. He has given us a new name, a new family, and a new purpose.
He has made us heirs, and priests.
How can we
be so casual about our faith when we have been given so much? Is it any wonder
that Jesus took a child, like that little three year old girl, dancing in the
isle, and said, “Truly I say to you,
unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3).
If you took this passage seriously,
what would change in your behavior, your witness, and your faith? If we were so
filled with joy that we could not contain ourselves, how would our world
change? The world will not be won through casual observances by restrained
believers. But, it will be won through people who cannot be silenced, people
who say, “one thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see” (John 9:25). It was unbridled joy that caused
the woman at the well to leave her pots, run back to her own city and proclaim,
“Come, see a man who told me all the things that I have done; this is not the Christ, is it?” Oh, how we need to be
like that woman today.
