Converting Souls to the Movies By the Day
To say we are obsessed is an understatement.
My kids have seen The Greatest Showman more than 5 times and I am not sorry. This past weekend, Ron was out of town and they asked again. And I was so strong in my “NO!” for the first 3 minutes. And then I was thought – well, shoot, I want to go again. And then here is what got me…
“Mom, Reese hasn’t seen it! Mom, Amelie hasn’t seen it!”
People – we have moved into another level of fans … we are Greatest Showman Evangelists (stole this wording from my sister-in-law Caroline who converted us). We are literally taking people from normal humans to HUGE fans of The Greatest Showman all in four hours. We start with picking them up. We play the tunes and they nod and try to sing along while me and the girls are basically performing the entire movie. Then we go to the dinner and try not to spoil the movie and tell them how awesome it’s going to be.
Then I encourage them, “Girls, I know what you’re feeling – we are over-selling this and crazy – and you’re going to be disappointed. You will not be.”
And then we go. And I watch half of the time beaming from the inside out – because the movie, the dancing, the music, the storyline – it all does something to my soul. And then the other half of the movie – I look down beaming – just watching their reactions. My kids are doing the same. They are SO EXCITED to watch their friends fall in love with something they love.
And then it happens. Our new friends are hooked. We walk out. All the girls (and the mom) are hugging and bouncing and cheering. And we have converted our newest ones to love it.
It has made me think a lot about being Christian.
Long ago, when God grasped a hold of my heart in a major way (after college at 7:22 listening to Louie Giglio) – I couldn’t stop talking about it. I started feeling how GOOD it was to have a purpose, to let go of things, to know Him, to hear from Him, to forgive, to say sorry, to give and more. I had only experienced and really allowed myself to focus on the rules and could nots. I fell in love with HIS goodness and fell out of love with trying to get good enough.
I have had several comments that have made me feel like I need to shut up:
One girl said, “my mom said you are evangelical”
Another girl said, “we don’t talk about God that much in this town – be careful”
Then someone said, “you need to get a life”
And I get it – being a girl that often talks about God and Jesus and faith can be annoying. And I get why “evangelical” Christians have gotten a bad name. It hasn’t always been done well. It’s felt like something shoved down your neck. It’s felt hypocritical. It’s felt polarizing. It’s felt annoying. It’s felt uncool. And I understand why it’s a risk – some people even lose their jobs by doing something like this.
The stakes are way higher with this situation – I care way more about if you meet God – than if you see a movie.
A long time ago, I have decided I can’t win all of the arguments and I’m not trying to make anyone like me. Trust me – you don’t to be like me. I’m a mess.
I’m trying to make sure people I love and even strangers – know that there is a God. He loves them. Way more than they realize. And that could change everything for their lives. It’s doesn’t make life perfect or easy or pain-free. However, you open the door to a love and a peace that you’ve never known before.
I have seen and experienced soul-grasping moments (yes, more than Rewrite the Stars with Zac and Zendaya) – and it’s hard to shut up about that. I’ve seen God at work when I know there’s no other way to explain it all. It sure does get awkward and I don’t always get it right. I’m sure I offend and annoy. I’m sure I do talk to much and appear evangelical. But I did “get a life” and I do have a life – a very fulfilled and still a very sinful one. The more I fall in love with WHO God is – I just cannot shut up.
And I deeply pray – as my kids grow – they will one day have the same fire and urgency as they do right now. That they will one day – not just live as free marketers telling the good news of a movie – but live as motivated disciples of Christ. Because it’s not just good news. It’s amazing news.
I pray they will keep experiencing and knowing God in such a thrilling way that every day – they are talking about it. They are inviting friends to see it. They are being lavish with the lengths they go to – for that conversion moment.
Because they know – if you can just step into His presence – you will see what we are obssessed about.
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You guys – will you PLEASE go see Greatest Showman and if you are disappointed – come tell me? And then download the sound track and bring the joy of song and dance back in your home. Dance like no one is watching to “This is Me!”
And then be brave enough to start a conversation with someone about your faith. Share your doubts and all of it. And for those of use that are all “in” may we have more grace and compassion and humility every time this happens – so we are a safe place for friends to land. Not a superior annoying know-it-all.
WHO ELSE LOVES IT?
If you do a flash mob. We will travel.
I’ve loved all of your writing. I loved hearing you speak and meeting you in person at MOPS in Peachtree Corners a few years back (go Parkview Panthers!). But THIS–this post resonates with me the most. This movie has struck me to the CORE, and now I’m going to have to claim to be a Greatest Showman Evangelical, too. (Hughvangelical?) I feel like I had the same passion about sharing Jesus growing up–especially in my teen and college years. But sadly, this sense of urgency and drive to share about him pales in comparison lately. I wondered what it was about this movie that moved me so deeply and drove me to tell everyone about it, obsessively posting and texting with people to hook them in. Ultimately, I think it’s because it’s a story of redemption. Redemption from upbringing, redemption from getting caught up in the moment. Redemption from being labeled. I’m inspired to continue reflecting on why I’ve lost the awe of the GREATEST redemption anyone could ever fathom. That’s a passion I’d love to reignite.