Does God want performance or participation? This question has been real to me both in my thoughts and in my living. Are my days to be lived striving to perform for and please the Almighty God? Or is God reaching out toward me asking me to join in, participate in, and be a part of his dance? When I was younger, I felt the former conclusion. Work hard. Do good. Look good. Sound good. Don’t mess up. Watch out. But I’m now growing into the latter. Join God. Take part. Taste acceptance. Participate in relationship. Feel love. Come and just be.
Wayne Jacobsen calls it “living loved,” in his book He Loves Me!. He says, “Religion offers us the illusion of earning acceptance, but it is only a cheap substitute for the reality of life in him…The key to living a productive Christian life is not waking up every day trying to be loved by God, but waking up in the awareness that you are already his beloved.” You are already loved by God, the Creator of the universe! No matter what you do or do not do, no matter who are you, you are loved by God! Come, be a part!
C.S. Lewis calls it “a kind of dance.” In Mere Christianity, he explains, “…in Christianity God is not a static thing, but a dynamic, pulsating activity, a life, almost a kind of drama. Almost, if you will not think me irreverent, a kind of dance.” I love that imagery. God as a dance, in relationship, moving to the music of life. And then Lewis says, “The whole dance, or drama, or pattern of this three-Personal life is to be played out in each one of us.” In other words, God invites us into the dance. He invites us to be a participant. Don’t perform for God, perform with God. Come, dance, sing, move to the music.
1 John 1:7 is a beautiful passage that talks about “walking in the light.” “Walking in the light” is about honesty, not perfection. Light exposes: honesty. Light pushes away the dark: honesty. Light reflects: honesty. To walk with God means to be honest with ourselves and God. Verse 8 goes on to say that if we say we haven’t sinned (brought about hurt and brokenness), we are lying. Of course I’ve sinned. We all have. But God is not saying that I have to be perfect before walking with him. No, he’s only saying I need to be honest. What a relief. Drop the pretenses. I can make mistakes. I can bring them to God. He can transform them into something good. It’s what he did on the cross when he was broken for us. So come, be broken before our broken God.
1 John 1:8 also says that when we “walk in the light, we have fellowship with one another.” Walking in honesty, instead of perfection, allows us to love each other better. It takes away the competition over who is more perfect, who’s the best. Because it’s not about what we do anymore, it’s about whose we are. This makes me think of childhood Sunday School classes. Whoever brings their Bible gets a prize. Whoever memorizes the most verses gets a reward. Whoever has perfect attendance will get called up in front of the church and honored. And so Christianity is taught as a competition. Whoever performs, wins. And the child whose parent drops him off every other Sunday sits in shame because he never gets perfect attendance. And the child struggling with reading sits in embarrassment because memorizing has always been difficult for her. No wonder so many adult Christians still think life with God is about performance. Whoever gives the most gets a plaque on the wall. Whoever speaks the best gets the biggest salary. Whoever has a family with no glaring sins (e.g.: adultery, divorce, rebellious children, etc.) gets the most admiring glances. Do you see what we’ve done? Those with no performing skills get left behind. Ministering to others is left up to the paid professionals with degrees following their names, and the ones God wants to use become too intimidated to hear God and lead others to God.
Oh, friends, God is crying out for us to let go of having to be impeccable, poised, and picture-perfect. The pressure to perform is draining us and washing the joy right out of our lives. But the pleasure of participating with God in life can bring the joy back. Life is not about doing, nor is it about not doing, but about being. Be the person God created you to be. God is calling you to come, whoever you may be: church-goer or not, atheist or believer, Muslim or Jew, female or male. Come broken. Come honestly. Be a part. Join God’s circle. Join God’s dance.
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