Know Your Role

I sometimes like to watch the extras, or background actors, or whatever you want to call them when I’m watching a TV show or a movie. I like to see if they’re being natural, or if they’re doing something weird because they’re on camera and they feel like they should be “doing something.” Did you know that’s one of the secrets of good acting? … “doing nothing.” It sounds easy, but when that camera is on you, you can start doing some really strange and awkward things. It’s weird being watched.

I’ve done my share of “extra” work over the last twelve years or so. It’s a long, non-glamorous, day of hurrying up to wait. Background actors are in the background of the scene to make it look real. It would be weird if Tom Hanks was walking through a grocery store in a movie and no one else was in the grocery store…unless it was maybe like some post-apocalyptic sequel to “Castaway” or something. But, imagine if one of those extras in the grocery store walked by, looked, waved at the camera, and said, “Hi, mom!” How do you think that would go? That extra would be fired pretty quick and for sure that take would not make the final cut. No, the job of the extra is to help create a believable background so the actors that everyone is paying their hard earned money to see can do their magic.

Life is filled with many different seasons, stages, and roles. It can be difficult, boring, even monotonous sometimes to function in the role we have been given. But God is the writer, director, and producer of our stories. If we’ve been cast as an extra, the best thing we can possibly do is be the best extra we can possibly be. It may not be exciting, but walking by the camera and waving will not get you promoted to a speaking role.

Isn’t that what we do sometimes though? “Hey everyone! Look at me!” Meanwhile, the scene is being interrupted and lunch is gonna be a lot later.

God sees you. He saw David out with the sheep, He saw Joseph in the prison, and He sees you right where you are. Some roles are for an episode. Some roles are for a season. Some roles are for life. But whether you’re an extra or an A-lister, God can and will use you for His production…for His glory. And it will be beautiful.