Restoring Heroes Project

The stage was set. It was time for another musical experience with Broadmoor Elementary directed by Mrs. Smith. This year’s show was “Coloring Book”. A whimsical selection of songs and dance to have any mommy or daddy standing to their feet with sheer glee. Costumes made with the finest construction paper and the premium tape. The kind of costumes that say, “Hey I look like what I am supposed to look like”. The excitement/terror in the air was almost enveloping. The practice was over. The wait was over. It was show time. The curtain opens and ……

I don’t know what happened next or at all really; that’s just how I imagined it. You might be thinking “How do you know all those details James?” or “How do you know about the premium tape and finest construction paper costumes in the land James?” 

Well, here’s the thing I was supposed to be there. Okay, not just being there I had a few lines. What I mean by “a few lines” is… that I had a solo. I was one of the primary colors in the Coloring Book. I was the last of the Red-Hot Romeos. There I said it! Are you happy now? Where was I … oh yeah, I was supposed to be there, but I was not. I was at home that night. Why? Good question. Here is the answer: I forgot to tell my parents about the musical. Yep I went through all the practices. Even had one of those swanky costumes. Nevertheless, I had forgotten to tell my parents so there I was in the house. 

Nonetheless the Coloring book went on without me. But not the way it was intended to. Not the way the director designed it to go.

In my room that night I was so nervous. I was going through it in my head trying hard to come up with some excuse. Maybe blame the parents. I thought to myself I will say something like my parents would not let me go or you know my Dad be trippin sometimes. Maybe they would not have even noticed. Maybe everything went great.  These were my thoughts as I drifted to sleep with butterflies breakdancing in my stomach and the sound of the solo I was meant to sing as the soundtrack in my head.

The next morning on the way to school the maybes were bouncing around like a superball thrown between a rock and a hard place in my mind. I finally convinced myself that no one even cared. That I would be fine. Well, I was wrong. Everyone noticed, everyone cared. The constant questions of where were you? And what happened? My head was spinning so fast for a brief moment that I thought I was on the metal merry go round of death that was on the playground. But don’t worry I did what any little boy would do in that situation; I LIED. The lies were flying out like Nerf darts. I told lies until they were all convinced that my parents didn’t let me go because of (insert lie here). 

 I knew I had dropped the ball. I knew I had an assignment given to me that I was expected to fulfill. I was trusted with something and I blew it. I was the Last of the Red-Hot Romeos, but I was missing in action. 

     Now the stage was set in Genesis.God has created a perfect world, everything was good. Chapter 2 we see that God created Adam to subdue the land and work the garden. A pretty sweet gig. Then on top of that God created the most goodest Creation in my opinion God created woman the rib of Adam. They had open communication,no fussing ,no secrets, no questions about if the jeans made her look fat. Nope, the word of God said they were naked and unashamed. Everything was perfect.

    The creator of the world gave Adam a command. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

Genesis 2:16‭-‬17 ESV

    Adam had his directives. He had it all. He had a job with benefits, life and dental. Also the most beautiful woman in the world by his side. Communication was free and honest between him and the Creator. It was good.

So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.

Genesis 3:6 ESV

    Did you see that? Adam was there the whole time! Not once did he intervene. Not once did he say hey that’s not what God Said or a snake shut your dirty mouth. He was missing in action. He dropped the ball. He did nothing.

    This is seen in the hearts of Adam and Eve as they felt shame for the first time. Fear caused them to hide from their creator. Adam hid from God thinking that God would not notice. That God would never know. Wrong!!! God definitely knew and when confronted Adam did what any man that brought sin and death into the world would do. He… blames Eve then Eve blames the snake. God cursed the snake Eve and Adam.

    The world went on but not the way the Creator intended. Not the way it was designed. Sin separated God and man. Death infected the world. Adam and Eve were kicked out of the garden covered and ashamed. All because Adam was missing in action.

  So, where are you? The stage has been set. You have a part to play and people depending on you. What are you going to do? Are you going to be missing in action?