Stay in character

Stay in character.

It’s a simple lesson everyone learns in high school drama. I can remember my little sis coming home from play practices with an accent (British, Israeli, Scandanavian—depending on what play she was in, it varied)… she was “staying in character” even at home. :)

If you’ve ever been involved in a drama class, play or skit, you’ve probably had a director or teacher talk with you about developing a character. Most encourage you to think about things like:

• “How would my character talk?”
• “What would would she feel in this moment?”
• “How would she walk? What would her body language say to those around her?”

These are simple questions I thought about again this week when I heard a recent message about courage—“staying in character” despite our feelings. And I wondered if the lessons of high school drama class should be taught to every Christian.

Here’s what I mean—at some point in life, all of us go through things that seem really bad…or really great. But do we “stay in character” through those times?

“When the world has fallen out from under me, I’ll be found in You.
Still standing.”
– “Shadowfeet” by Brooke Fraser

It takes courage to stay in character during the bad stuff. If a close friend or relative dies, do we “stay in character” and trust that God still cares? If we’re flat broke or lose our jobs, do we still trust in God as our provider? And if we pray for someone and don’t see a result, do we keep believing God hears us?

On the flip side, I think one thing people sometimes forget is that it also takes courage to stay in character in good times .

If we get a promotion or a raise, do we “stay in character” and increase our giving to God’s house and to those in need? If we’re hanging out at a cocktail party with non-Christian friends (and free alcohol), do we hold to the Bible’s standard of not getting drunk? If our lives are full of fun busyness from volunteering, going on vacation and hanging out with friends, do we stay committed to reading the Bible and talking to God?

I’m asking these questions to provoke my own thoughts and actions just as much as I’m writing to anyone else who may read this post. “Staying in character” is a tough concept I think most Christians wrestle with.

Most of us don’t want to be fake, but we also are called to be like Christ—to take on attributes of His character. To live authentically as the unique people He’s called us to be, despite our natural sinful instincts, feelings or desires. To “authentically imitiate” Christ (as a recent magazine article put it). It takes courage. But I think “staying in character” is one way we live our faith out loud—by not being hypocritical and starting to truly live as if “what we really believe is really real.”