What Christians Can Learn from James Woods

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James Woods is brilliant.

I have very little interest in his show. It's just another crime drama. In fact, before last night, I couldn't tell you definitively when Shark was on. However, when I see a preview, I feel compelled to watch it. I will stay up late. I will be disappointed if I realize I've missed it.

Last night I figured out why: I love to watch James Woods work. He is mesmerizingly good at what he does. Trance-inducing. Lackey-inspiring. Have you seen him do his thing? So natural, so subtle. Perfect delivery. Incomparable timing.

With the exception of watching a lot of media over the years, I have very few credentials that allow me to critique the acting chops of Mr. Woods. I don't know if his technique is good, or where he studied, or if he'd hold his own as King Lear. All I need to know is that when he's on screen, I can't take my eyes off him because I don't want to miss something brilliant. I'm really glad he's not in a theater somewhere, sharing his gift with only a privileged few.

This started me thinking about others with that gift - those who have hit their stride and are doing what they were born to do. Athletes who were born to play, singers who were born to sing. Teachers who were born to teach. Christians who were born to love.

Ooooh, I thought. What if the spellbinding-follow-you-anywhere power that James Woods' gift has over me was harnessed by the body of Christ...for good? What if we dropped our obsession with doing everything right and our need to impress the critics? What if we were all just so good at loving each other/serving each other/giving to each other that people gathered just to watch us do it? What if we left our little Shakespeare shows in their tiny theaters and headed for prime time?

"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." John 13:34-35

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