Life in the Shadows

The hors d'oeuvers on the tray were having a grand time at the party. The string quartet was playing beautiful music. The champagne was France's finest. With 'ahhs' and 'oohs' another tray was set on the beautiful table. It was exquisitely graced with Russian caviar and shaved truffles from Spain. All the guests seemed to gravitate at once to the new offerings. At that point the pate' turns to the stuffed olive and asks, "what am I, chopped liver?" It may be that you've felt that way at one point or another in your life. It seems that you have had to live in the shadow of greater lights. The smarter brother, the prettier sister, the needier aunt, the demanding parent, were always in your life and always called the light to themselves. Once out of the childhood home it often continues for some folks. Next the outgoing roommate, the creative lab partner, the faster football teammate and the kid with the good hair puts you back again in the shadows. Surely life in the working world would work out better. Ofttimes it does but other times the boss likes that guy's work better, the boss likes that lady's smile better, or there's a genius in the next cubicle but he's not there for long because he gets the promotion. Surely home is a respite. But it turns out that your publicly adored spouse gets the limelight and you're in the kitchen cutting the limes for the margaritas for her parties. More shadows. Sometimes, in truth, those folks probably earned it or deserved it, other times they or life's fickle circumstances simply stole your thunder. Either way you were left in the shadow of another and that part of life is not much fun. If you ever felt that way let me tell you, you've got company. Not surprisingly, you will find company in the Bible. Might these in scripture who spend life in the shadow of others give us some insight as to how we should react when we are out of the spotlight? Where can we find these biblical examples of how to handle the second chair in life's orchestra? There are several places really. I'll name a few and you can then see the pattern and find other examples yourselves. Here's the first one: John 3:17-18. Now these are good verses. When you read them you will recognize them but only a handful of folks ever memorized them. It's always John 3:16 that gets the glory and all the attention. It's the first Bible verse folks memorize and the one folks carry with them that they can peal off at a moment's notice. Not 3:17 or 18 or even 3:15, but 3:16 is the attention getter in this group. It doesn't seem fair to John 3:17-18 but that is just the way it is. Shoot, when John, the man, wrote John, the gospel, he didn't even designate the chapter and verses. Cardinal Caro added his around 1244-1248 and the Archbishop of Canterbury Stephen Langton, started a versed Bible in 1227. I'll let the Catholics and Anglicans figure that one out (although I am partial to the Cardinal's syrup). All I know is that John 3:17-18 never stood a chance of being famous after that. Let me give you another example: take the case of Romans 8:27. Now there's a heck of a good verse but everyone hones in on Rom. 8:28-29. But who could blame them, after all it is terribly reassuring to know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to his purpose. But poor old 27 only tells us that the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will. That's good stuff but hardly 28-29 material. Consider the plight of poor old Psalm 24. His may be the worst of the bunch. Handel certainly recognized 24's beauty and depth but you never hear folks asking for Psalm 24 to be read at a funeral. It's a shame, but 24 just got himself stuck by 23. What can you do? One of my favorites is Ephesians 2:7 which says, " in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of this grace expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus." What a marvelous thought that God is sharing incomparable riches of grace expressed through kindness to us in our relationship with Jesus. But I guarantee you that if you go into a Christian bookstore and buy one of those little kits of flash cards to help you memorize scripture, you won't find Eph. 2:7 but you will find Eph. 2:8-9: "for it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that on one can boast." It's hard to disagree with putting that one in isn't it, but I can't but feel a little sorry for Eph. 2:7. It has to feel a bit like it must like to stand next to the next Miss America when she is called out and you don't even make the finals. I feel a bit sad for these verses having to "live" in the shadow of more well known verses. But notice how they handle it. I've never heard one complain. They stand and deliver the truth that has been given them and serve where they are planted. No complaints or requests for transfers have ever been noted from these verses. They soldier on in the shadows. Maybe they know something we tend to forget in a self-absorbed culture: if they are in the shadows then there must be a great Light somewhere. I'd bet they know that one day we will all be in the Light as He is in the light for He is Light. They know that "every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, with whom there is no shadow of turning"(James 1:17). Maybe good old Rom 8:27 simply rests in the truth of 8:28-9. One day you may be asked to come from the shadows and shine your light for the glory of God. Pray you are not tarnished by the cares of the world to the point that the light can't shine. In the meantime, and the times are mean, practice the truth from one of the first songs you memorized, probably even before John 3:16: this little light of mine, I'm gonna let shine, let shine, let it shine, let it shine. One day it will, and even this day a little light goes a long way. Keep polished, Cos