Crowd Control

Sunday, December 16, 2012 Posted by Joline

Creative license commencing now.

I just finished directing a show called "Let It Be Christmas" which shares the nativity story through the music of the Beatles.

Trust me on this. It actually works.

My favorite scene? The census. Where Joseph enters his busy, crowded hometown for the census, along with Mary who at that point was great with child. The song for that number? "Help".

Imagine the crowds: tired from the journey home, impatient to get registered and get out. Hot. Trying to wrangle and keep track of children in the crowds. Fatigued - for I imagine that due to the crowds it was busy and took a bit of time. Anxious.

Now, here's where I took license - for while everyone went back to his hometown, most likely they had family there to welcome them - even Joseph. And it wasn't as if they were returning to a booming metropolis, but still. I go with crowded - for theater-sake.

Here's what I do know.

They had to be uprooted for a time. To make a journey. Perhaps a long one. And not necessarily an easy trip.

Isn't that just like our walk with God? Uprooted from the comfortable life we know, to a life that takes us on a journey that is sometimes rocky, dusty, hot, and unknown? All because we've been commanded to go? Life on the road with God takes us up hills and through valleys, over uneven terrain, and even asks us to interact with those we've never met. Much like those registering for the census.

Ha. And you thought they were simply "ensemble" members. Background. Nope. They are us.