As I waited with other singers before we performed in our community symphony concerts this past weekend, as I always do, I scanned the posters and pictures in the green room. (For the non-musicians, the green room is a term for the place performers wait before going on and not necessarily green.) The pictures tell the story of so many legends that have stood on the stage where we would stand. I took a few shots to share with my son who is a big country music fan.
The photographs reminded me of those who influenced me when I was in the green room in the spiritual sense. They invested and helped prepare me for God’s purpose in my life. Even as I write, there are reminders —books on my shelves that they’ve written, and a letter from one of them is still displayed on my desk even though he passed last year.
I count
myself blessed to have had such amazing spiritual mentors. But that blessing
comes with a duty. In fact, The Message states Jesus words in Luke 12:48 this
way, “Great gifts mean great responsibilities; greater gifts, greater responsibilities!”
If we take
a moment to consider the people that God has brought into our lives to guide
and help us, we will be overcome by His generosity and love toward us. Maybe
that could motivate us to fulfill the same role for someone else just coming
along.
We often
think of giving gifts wrapped up with bows at Christmas, but we can give what will have a far more lasting effect. For those whose high school diploma
is dated in the same decade as mine, we ought to especially be looking for ways
to encourage and lift those just starting on this walk with the Lord. It’s time
to volunteer to teach a class or join a mentoring program. And please don’t
tell me you’re not prepared. We’ve had a lifetime of preparation. And as my extraordinary
educator sister says, we just do it one class at a time. God will give us what
we need at the right time. This is not a time for sitting down. It’s a time for
standing up and continuing to invest. Jerry and I haven’t found a provision for
retirement in the Bible.
So, here’s
to all the folks on the green room walls of our lives and here’s to being on
someone else’s green room walls. Let’s give the gift of ourselves this
Christmas. Blessings.
Beverly Varnado is the author of several small town romances from Anaiah Press including her latest, a Christmas novella, A Season for Everything. All are available at Amazon. A memoir, Faith in the Fashion District, from Crosslink Publishing is also available as well as her other books, Give My Love to the Chestnut Trees and Home to Currahee. She also has an Etsy Shop, Beverly Varnado Art.
To explore the web version of One Ringing Bell, please visit bev-oneringingbell.blogspot.com
Beverly Varnado copyright 2022