FOOD FOR THOUGHT
(05/31/2009)
REHEARSED
IMPROV
Cindy Hong
In
my March trip to Chicago for a seminar, we had a choice of Friday evening
entertainment after a dinner of Chicago-style deep dish pizza. I would've
loved to stay at Giordano's and inhale more of their world famous stuffed
pizza, but that wasn't an option. Born a pragmatist, the 40-degree weather
made choosing the indoor activity a no-brainer. So we drove into the city
to watch an improvised Shakespeare play. All dialogue was off-the-cuff,
in Elizabethan style, spoken in iambic pentameter, all the thee's, thou's,
and thy's practiced to perfection. Afterwards we walked around the city
before heading to a Starbucks to warm up and chill out. The group, inspired
by the Bard, wanted to do some improv together. Two in the group actually
do improv, so they started giving us pointers and having us practice.
The main thing, they said, was to choose a role and commit to it. I already
had three strikes against me: indecisive, more comfortable behind-the-scenes,
and the processing speed of a turtle. After much begging, they let me
sit back and laugh along. I ended up using that time to ponder the instructions
about the role I've committed to playing. Here I am, having known Jesus
almost all my life, just how devoted am I to following Him? How often
do I try to breeze through reading the Bible? How quickly can I pray?
How often do I try to wing it in my spiritual life? How often do I memorize
Scripture and practice other spiritual disciplines like fasting and silence?
Today is Pentecost, 50 days after Easter when the Holy Spirit descended
on the believers in Jerusalem and the church born. It is the climax of
God's story so far, with the promised Holy Spirit in us—enabling us
to know and do God's will, empowering us to witness and testify about
His work in Christ. As these 16 actors internalize Shakespeare through
reading, taking quizzes, and speaking in iambic pentameter, they are then
able to commit to the improv storyline on stage. Likewise, as we immerse
ourselves in His story, it forms us and helps us to live into His storyline
on the spot: trusting in Him with all our hearts, giving thanks continually,
not worrying about anything, praising Him, and doing everything in Jesus'
name.
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