My Friend, Jim

Instead of doing a normal "60" this week, I've been asked to write the devotion I gave last weekend before Outreach (some people weren't there, some people missed it). So here it is.

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I'm here with a heavy heart today. You see, this week a good friend of mine died. Notice I didn't say "passed away". I said "died". He was 45 years old, went on vacation, came back feeling ill and went to see the doctor. The next day, he was dead.

His name was Jim Campbell, the house manager at Playhouse in the Park. Over the past six years of being a volunteer usher at Playhouse, Jim taught me a lot about how great live theater is. How it's always a one take show. That there are always problems but you must never let the audience know. And, most importantly, great theater can happen anywhere, even in Cincinnati. Because of Jim and other Playhouse staff, our Cincinnati Playhouse has not one, but two, Tony Awards for "Best Regional Theater". It also is the launching pad for shows before they hit Broadway (side note - the play "Company" tested here in Cincinnati before going to New York and winning rave reviews, audiences and, yes, a Tony Award.)

But now Jim gone.

Now, if you were to ask me about his relationship with Christ, I'd have to say "I'm not sure". Pressed further, I'd have a pretty good guess, and it's not the one we'd hope for. I hear televangelists declare, "You gotta tell 'em 'bout Jesus! You gotta tell 'em 'bout Jesus!" But from where I'm standing, you've got to show 'em 'bout Jesus first. Show them love. Show them kindness. Show them grace. Forgiveness. Joy. Show them first. Tell them second.

And that's the great thing about Outreach. It's not a sandwich and a "Hang in there, buddy!" to people in Washington Park. It's not a bag of beans and rice to someone at the Willows. Or a free can of Coke. Or a free lunch from Taco Bell. And it's not talking down to people about Christ.

It's reaching down in the name of Christ to help people out of that ditch of a life they're in. With grace. Love. And mercy.

So put on the dusty sandals of Christ this week and be a listening ear. Be someone people can confide in. Be that person God made you to show people what life in Him looks like. Because you just might be the person who changes someone's eternity. And that, I think, is the best live theatre of all.