It’s all in the background…

I love animated movies. I sometimes get lost not in the story, but in watching how they put together what’s happening in the background. Yeah, I know, I’m weird!

The next time you go to the movies don’t watch the main character. Watch everyone and everything else that’s happening in the show. You’ll notice that all the background stuff is pointing you to the main character. There’s a wind blowing the trees in the direction the character is travelling. There are animals running in the direction the main character is running, only they’re smaller and in the background more. There is a color change going on from cool to hot which is right where the main character is! It’s a whole conglomeration of movement, color, and size that’s happening that brings the main character into focus but you really never even notice it.

Isn’t it amazing to realize that same concept is exactly what’s happening all around us in the body of Christ? God, Jesus Christ is the main character and He’s moving in us and through us to reach the world. He is the focus of all we do. We, the body are animated but in the background; bringing in the lost, telling His story, being His legs and feet here on earth. We’re the moving trees and the color changes that don’t need to be noticed. Oh, did you get that last part? We don’t need to be noticed! We’re not the main character here. Only God our creator and LORD should be getting everyone’s full attention.

Sadly, when God quits being the focus of all you do and Y-O-U become the centerpiece, you may as well close up shop and go home. Nobody is going to want to buy any tickets to your show. Get my drift? Too many people are trying to become main players in God’s plan. They want the attention, the focus, and the accolades and actually are doing it under the auspices of God’s name. It’s a prideful thing and usually ends in failure every single time.

So take a good look at what your part is in this thing called life. Do you have to be the front running main character or is God first? As for me, I’d much rather have the one who put it altogether as the lead guy with me in the background…following, running after Him, in a supporting role. Just give that thought a minute during this post-Thanksgiving week.