For the past two weeks, my son and I have been part of the cast and crew for a musical at our church. This weekend, a friend who has been busy mixing sound for the production, asked me, "What part do you play?"
When you're busy making sure the sound for such a large cast is optimal, it's understandable that you wouldn't notice me. After all, I am the tiny pink blob in the center back (in front of the vertical pink rectangle if you really want to find me). I have a good sense of humor about my role in what has been a great show. But what I realized is that sometimes feeling insignificant or invisible in the larger scheme of things isn't funny.
Stay-at-home moms often wonder if they're really doing important work (and sometimes they are told they are not). Women who work sometimes feel that business could easily go on without their absence being grieved. We may ask ourselves if anyone notices or cares about all the work we did for that ministry or how hard we try to make a tough relationship work. Some days (maybe even most days!), there is very little recognition of what we do or who we are.
Those who attend the musical aren't able to see me hurriedly moving furniture in the dark. They aren't able to see the stage managers running to replace one of the lead's microphones when it quits working. And they certainly aren't able to see the hours that so many have invested to create an entertaining evening for our community.
But there is Someone who can pick me out in that big group photo in a flash. There is Someone who sees the dedication of the crew and director who get no applause. And there is Someone who sees what you are doing, too. He would never have to ask you what part you play because He created the role just for you. I like to imagine that the heavenly host give us a standing ovation when we lose ourselves to the role He's given us to play. If you're working hard behind the scenes with me, I just want to say, "Bravo!"
On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable (1 Cor. 12:22)
