"Clowns are the Pegs on Which the Circus is Hung." P.T. Barnum
At one time or another everyone feels like a "clown." Whether in the throws of puberty, speaking publicly, waddling around nine months pregnant, skin color, being held prisoner by addiction, or simply being different as followers of Jesus. But there's another group; an entire subculture who truly are viewed as "freaks"; those who suffer from diseases such as dwarfism, Vitiligo, Microcephaly, Tetra-Amelia Syndrome, or albinism. These very people were the ones whom the inventor of Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus, Mr. Phineas Taylor (P.T.) Barnum not only pursued, but embraced. His life's work was to seek the marginalized, give them opportunity to travel, use their talents, earn amazing wages, and become someone they never would have been without the promotion of the circus. Don't we all imagine a day when someone like P.T. Barnum will come our way?
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| "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness and into His marvelous light." 1 Peter 2:9 |
Our family Redboxed The Greatest Showman last weekend. Beneath the comfort of an entertaining musical lay a message of love, humanity, and belonging in which every "clown" can relate. The wonder had little to do with the vastness of the circus. And although the entrepreneurship of Barnum was admirable, it left little impact. The power was the woven thread of leaving the 99 in search for the one who felt freakishly lost and alone during a time of extreme cruelty - That's what repeatedly impressed the love of Jesus upon my heart. Some characters Barnum chose to participate in his actual circus and movie included: the iconic "Bearded Lady", "World's Fattest Man", "Zip the Pinhead", "The Four-Legged Woman", "The Chinese Giant", "The Human Skeleton", "World's Oldest Woman", albinos, trapeze acrobats, a tattooed man, General Tom Thumb, unichs, Siamese twins, and many others who would be considered societal outcasts.
It was heart-rendering to see amazing people, who would have never been acknowledged, find themselves not only approved and accepted into the circus family but loved deeply by Barnum and the other circus rejects. When their families had disowned them, the circus became their family. People, and the world shut them out, while Barnum welcomed them in to a life others only dreamed of. Barnum showed them their value apart from outside appearances. Ironically, the cruelest critics became eager, paying spectators.
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| "Love never gives up on people. It never stops trusting, never loses hope, and never quits." 1 Corinthians 13:7 |
The Greatest Showman appeals to the masses because we desire a sense of belonging and family - even if the only means of attaining it means joining the circus. Too often we find our meager splintered boat has drifted far from shore with the rope to our anchor (Jesus) cut. Unfortunately Barnum found himself in this boat at one point in his career. His hunger for fame and notoriety were quenched with the appetizer of greed followed by a main course of selfishness, adding a generous dessert of pride topped off with a sprinkling of temptation - a recipe for disaster. The antidote? To return. Once he realized the ravenous monster was never satisfied, he went back to his wife, children, and circus dynasty. They weren't demanding. They were real. Authentic. Genuine.
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| "Those who are kind benefit themselves, but the cruel bring ruin on themselves" Proverbs 11:17 |
This movie is you. This movie is me. So many times we equate being ordinary with being insignificant. Oh, I suppose as Christians we are very insignificant in the eyes of the world. After all, God's people have been disposed of like trash for centuries. But the world's trash is God's treasure. His specialty, as was P.T. Barnum's, is to whisk away the ordinaries and insignificants to a dimension of extraordinary and significant in an adventurous life lived with Him. The definition for ordinary may not even be found in Jesus' dictionary because to Him we are all fearfully and wonderfully made to be of great significance. No thing done with Him is seen as usual or unused. A life lived with Him is a life of adventure, mystery, craziness, peace, challenge, adversity, fun, and a trapeze free fall of faith - knowing God will catch you. Don't look now, but life with Christ mirrors a three ringed circus.
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"Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work in us." Ephesians 3:20
Feeling a bit like a bearded woman? 750lb man? Pinhead? World's oldest person? You're not alone, and you're made perfectly for the significant life He wants you to grab hold of as He leads you through mountains of whimsy and valleys of dry bones. Freaks are His specialty. Orchestrating the elaborate details under the big top is what He does best. We may be clowns, but we're His clowns, and as P.T. Barnum said, "Clowns are the pegs that the circus is hung on." God created everything, especially ordinary people, to bring Him glory. How do we do that? Accept His invitation to join the circus then hang on because it's a wild ride. In a world that uses us for what we can give them, it's refreshing to belong in a family of worldly throw-aways. Ironically, the cruelest critics become eager spectators. And who knows...maybe our lives will be so significantly insignificant that they'll pack their bags and go on tour with us. Reaching hundreds...or thousands...or simply that one special person with the love of Jesus.
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"The hand of the diligent will rule, while the slothful will be put to forced labor." Proverbs 12:24
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One who has been touched by grace will no longer look on those who stray as “those evil people” or “those poor people who need our help.” Nor must we search for signs of “loveworthiness.” Grace teaches us that God loves because of who God is, not because of who we are.
"Surely your goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever." Psalm 23:6
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