Saltimbanco

I was fortunate enough to receive a generous invite to see the Cirque du Soleil show at the Sprint Center on Sunday. Thank you, Jennifer for the ticket and Drew for the child caretaking, for the chance to enjoy an afternoon among adults, doing "culture" and lunch without high chairs!

The show was amazing. I was expecting and had heard of the excellence and wow factors but didn't expect the awakening of my senses, the pricking of my brain, and the stirrings of Spirit that occurred throughout the fascinating 2 hours.

I saw the functioning of community as I believe God intends for it to be. There would be over thirty individuals with their own actions creating a singular fluid movement. A person, pair, or group would take center stage to perform/contribute their special talent or gift while the rest of the group used their selves to enhance the center act, to work in conjuction and support of the performing few. However, the song (played by the live costumed band or sung beautifully by the Ice-queen-type-woman with the spikey pink hair and flowing white gown) would change and those who were in the spotlight would fade back into the crowd and become an illuminator for the next individual who was ready to contibute their skill to the stage.

Kingdom community should be similiar I think. Each person is uniquely gifted with skills and gifts, and each deserves an arena for exercising them. However, the individual gift is highlighted and enhanced in the context of community. Differences of gender, age, and race blurred beneath costumes, reinforcing the principal of a WHOLE, great because of its PARTS all working togther.

The Spirit ruminated inside me when the final act included four white artists in a bungee flying act, punctuated by beautiful music and singing that made me think of the angels and all creation and cosmos surrounding the Throne. Probably NOTHING close to the intended meaning but I was happy to go there with the Holy Spirit.

One final thought came during the amazing long-haired man juggling up to 8 or 9 bouncing balls. I saw a picture of parenting or family. He couldn't touch or hold all the balls at once but was still taking care of the whole group. I am limited in my physical ability to hold Drew, Elijah and Andi all at the same time but in giving them "touches" of careful attention in a rotating fashion, the whole of our family holds together.

It was an awesome afternoon and a great show. And I'm not all that into artsy stuff usually, nor do I feel like I've used this part of my brain all summer!