Life Outside the Spotlight

We live in a culture where there is only so much attention and fame to go around. It often seems that when someone gets noticed, there is less notice to be had by others. Maybe you’re like me and sometimes find yourself struggling with the temptation to start scrambling to be noticed, to matter, to have others think we’re special. To have our moment in the spotlight.

But the spotlight is limited. By it’s very definition, it is meant to shine on just one small area.

Sometimes it can feel like we’re all trying to squeeze into that tiny area. When all of the stage is beckoning us out away from that one limited spot. And into the big, wild, wonderful world that lies beyond.

It can be dark out there in the wings. And it can get pretty quiet. Without the crowd applauding or the fans cheering, the silence might feel deafening. How will I know if I’m doing things correctly or well without the recognition and encouragement I’ve come to depend on? Without the immediate positive feedback of those who “like” me on Facebook or follow me on Instagram?  (The irony of expressing this thought in a blog I’ll be posting on social media isn’t lost on me.)

But what I’m learning is that God is out here, away from the main stage. Oh, he’s most certainly in the spotlight as well. But mostly, he’s out here. In the shadows where many of the hurting are hiding. They need us to step away from the stage and come find them. Tell them they haven’t been forgotten even in the darkest of corners. That God sees them and loves them and wants them to abide with Him. I might not notice them at all if I don’t stop worrying about my own performance and what others are thinking. Or how loudly they applaud.

God’s ability to notice each and every one of his children reaches far beyond center stage.

God’s economy is not one of scarcity, but of abundance. Abundant grace, abundant love, abundant life. But if we spend our time chasing the world’s spotlight, focused only on how we might get it to shine on us, if only for a moment, God’s abundance just might go unnoticed in our lives. And a banquet feast will remain waiting there for us in the shadows while we nibble on the meager crumbs that fall within that tiny circle of light.

“If you are gifted in an area that doesn’t reach the spotlight, don’t worry. God sees your value.” ~ Charles R. Swindoll ~