I'll never forget my oldest Son's face when I picked him up from 1st grade on that crisp, fall day. He ran over to my car, weaving in and out of moving vehicles like a game of frogger.... lighting up about 14 or so carpooling, mini-van driving moms who blared their horn at him in fear he would get struck down by a car. He didn't heed the warning horns, nor did he slow down...but continued at a break-neck pace, waving a bright pink piece of paper in his hands.
Out of breath, he flung the car door open and shouted "I'm going to be in a play!"
Once I realized that it was indeed my child, alive and well as opposed to the alternative pancake he almost turned into on the way to his car, I shook him fierce for not using the crosswalk and then took a look at the flyer.
Sure enough, a local church was putting on a holiday production of "A Charlie Brown Christmas" and they were holding auditions the following week. As crazy as it sounded that my son actually had any interest in this, I thought the whole idea sounded great and what mom wouldn't want their child to stretch his wings? After all, my oldest pretty much came out of the womb in sweatpants and a baseball hat. He could make the "hook 'em horns" at 22 months and rattles off sports stats like an auctioneer at a cattle sale. Let's be honest, if the kid genuinely wants to try out for a drama, I was overjoyed for a little diversity!
The tryouts were gentle but busy. Of course my son wanted nothing to do with practicing, coaching or feedback while reading his lines. Hmmm...weird. Yet another acorn falling dead center to the tree.
When it was time to go in and read his lines, I was convinced that unless someone held a wet 9-volt to his tongue, he was going to read the script with about as much variation as a the infamous teacher, "Buehler? Buehler?"
A few weeks went by and we were updated with the cast selection. We were thrilled...our son had made it into the play! Our oldest son, source of joy, of whom we were so proud, was given a speaking role. Only he was hacked off. Not happy. Pouty, some would say.
My son was cast as "Pig Pen."
Son: "I don't want to do this anymore. I quit."
Me: "Oh no, no you don't. You took someone else's spot... its reserved for you... you are called to it! You asked for a part and you got it. The Turnley's are 'finishers."
Besides, Pig Pen has a purpose... he is the innkeeper in the play that Charlie Brown directs. If Pig Pen had not staffed the Inn, he wouldn't have been able to direct Mary & Joseph to the stable. Quite frankly, Mary might have birthed Jesus on the street corner...definitely not a great way to tell the "Birth of our Savior" story.
Now, if you have read my posts at all, you know that talking about my kids without a point would be as satisfying to me as updating their baby books. If you don't know me, let me clarify.... IT WOULD NEVER HAPPEN!!!
So what does Pig Pen have to do with your life?
Well... a lot of us try out for life but aren't happy with the role God assigns us. But you know what? When you ask God to use you (or quite frankly, when you BELIEVE in God) you have given him permission to place you where he desires. It's no accident. God's desire is deliberate and the BEST thing we can do is to stop wanting to be somewhere else.
Green grass over there? Sure. We are human. We all do it. The problem is when we spend more time looking across the street than working to fix up our own yard.
You see, the plan God has for your life is JUST AS IMPORTANT as the plans for the next person. Sure, it sounds sexy when people are off doing amazing things...traveling the world, working with rock stars, not eating their kids leftover mac n' cheese.... but just because you aren't cast as Charlie Brown or Lucy in this season's play doesn't mean your role isn't vital to what God wants to do through you.
It's like the demon-possessed guy who is in the cemetery and Jesus completely heals him with one simple prayer. The man is amazed and BEGS Jesus to let him become one of his disciples. But instead Jesus says, "No...go home to your family and tell them what has happened." DUDE. BUMMER. So close to Charlie Brown or Schroder but you got Pig Pen. JEEZ. THANKS. (Uh, you'll need to go look up Matthew 5:-18 to break apart the Bible parts from the Charlie Brown Christmas parts there... just so I am not responsible for TOTALLY messing up your theology.)
But wait.... there is nothing wrong with Pig Pen... like I said, the man saved Mary from birthing at the town square...there were no rooms left! Your role is vital to the world we live in, because we all play a part in God's divine plan... its just that we get glimpses while He above gets the "above the world 'Google" views.
I think that no matter what role we are assigned, its imperative that we give it our best. There is the most grace for us when we really press into the role we have been given. There are bigger roles for us as we steward the role we have been given in this season.
And that is exactly what happened that Christmas season in 2009. Pig Pen delivered his lines on time, with just the right amount of inflection and expression. A total of 26 words, divided into 3 different scenes... Pig Pen was forced into child labor by practicing his lines over and over in our living room before the play opened.... and gave God glory in that small little church.
OK...now back to work...go mow that green grass of yours and stop yearning for the yard across the way! You have a purpose, a plan, and a Father who loves you dearly!
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