Less Election, More Community

How movie credits can help us find our place

In the New Testament book of Romans, the Apostle Paul closes his writing by praising the people who have supported him in ministry. It is a long list, fascinating in its diversity. Paul mentions women and men, Greeks and Hebrews, rich and poor.

As our nation is about to decide a razor thin election, I’ve been thinking about that list. Pollsters and pundits have articulated election trends by gender, age, class and race. It is clear that the American electorate is divided by life situation and experience. Do we have hope of establishing a community of mutual respect and cooperation? I believe that these Roman Christians offer us a model of the way forward in our disparate and polarized society.

Roll the Credits

As our attention shifts from a political campaign to the outcome of an election, I would like to recommend that we think less about the two candidates at the top of the ticket, and focus instead on how we, like these early Christians, can devote ourselves to ministry and service. Let’s commit to making our neighborhood a better place and focus on the people we know.

So, how do we put this model into practice? To me, the last chapter of the book of Romans reads like the credits at the end of a movie. Let me explain.

My family is the last to leave the theater.  As “THE END” pops on the screen, most folks grab their jackets, leave their popcorn, and head for the door, while the Watkins family stays glued to the screen. My husband loves unique details and unusual patterns. He watches the diversity of names and job titles wondering what each person does, or the origin of their name.  My oldest daughter is a graphic artist. She’s interested in the design of the credits and the technical details of the production. And me…I love to think about the people behind the names, wondering if the handful of stars that headline the story realize how many hundreds of professionals it takes to make the movie possible.

Photo by Georgia Vagim on Unsplash

At the movies, the big story catches our eye, but the months and years of making that film are filled with hundreds of stories we’ll never know. The show can’t go on without a script, costume, make-up, set, cameras, lighting, editing, accounting, marketing…. The lights don’t work without wiring, and electrical connections can’t be set up without one or more gaffers. (I saw that word on the credits once, so I looked it up. it’s amazing what you learn from movie credits).

No Small Roles

Let’s talk about just one small component of one movie. Suppose that Millie Bobby Brown experiences a wardrobe malfunction on the set of “Enola Holmes. (I chose that movie because I love the star’s first name). If all of the “Principal Costume Stand-by’s” skipped work, and the Costume Designer, (her name is Consolata Boyle)  and the assistant designer, the costume coordinator, and the wardrobe mistress (Lucy McGill- useful if you’re ever asked in a trivia game…well  that question probably won’t come up) are in a meeting  when Ms. Brown discovers a rip in her bustle minutes before call time, the crisis won’t strand the star in her underwear, because the costume department still has three costume pullers and fitters, five costume makers, three assistants and five costume trainees to manage the emergency and get her to the set on time.

So who’s the star? Millie Bobby Brown, or the team in the costume department? Well..both.    

 

I want to commit to getting my job done, no matter who the “star of the movie” is or how hopeless the situation appears. Obscure details, hidden in familiar stories emphasize the underestimated impact of small acts of service. Tucked away in the gospel of Mark I ran across something I’d never noticed. When the writer mentions Simon of Cyrene, who assisted Jesus by carrying the heavy cross on the road to execution, he mentions that Simon is the father of Alexander and Rufus (Mark 15:21). So, why do we need to know the name of the offspring of this bit player in the story of the crucifixion? Many scholars believe that this son, Rufus shows up in the list of ‘credits” at the end of Romans (Romans 16:13). If indeed, this is the same Rufus I find the story inspiring. Simon, in the right place at the right time, assists Jesus at his darkest hour. At a time when it seems hope is gone, Simon performs a small service.  I’m sure it seemed to Jesus’ friends that the evil of crucifixion day would perpetuate no matter what Simon did. We don’t know what Simon thought, but it appears that his act of service left an impression so profound that it altered the course of his own life and impacted his children. From generation to generation one choice enables another.

Finding Purpose

I spent a delightful day with the dedicated professionals of a community food bank this week. Their services alleviate hunger in the neighborhood and transform the workplace into a center of productivity and personal growth.  Over lunch I spoke with one team member who described her tasks as mundane. She longed for a more engaging assignment, and I learned that the program supporting her employment is designed to build new skills and open greater opportunities for her in the future. However, as we spoke, it seemed to me that she hadn’t fully grasped the value of her present job assignment. I shared a bit about my “movie credit” perspective and the inspiration I’ve found in recognizing how even the smallest task is essential to every successful enterprise. I left the conversation reminded to bring my best to everything I do, even the things that seem insignificant. Like my lunch companion, I may never know the full impact of my efforts, but I can choose to recognize my role in the larger endeavor.

Where do you find your name in the credits? If you’re in costumes, volunteer at the community back-to-school clothing drive. Are you in catering? Invite a neighbor to join your family for dinner. Are you an electrician? Use those gaffer skills to help a senior adult replace aging wiring. If you find yourself experiencing post-election anxiety, let that anxiety be the inspiration to roll the credits, and find your name on the screen. Then step away from the political theater and find your purpose.