Recently, my wife and I sat down with our three year old granddaughter to watch the 1973 Disney animated classic, “Robin Hood.” If you haven't seen the film—or it's been awhile—it's quite charming in every regard. As we sat there with Joslynn, giggling at all the onscreen antics, I was struck with an observation. Though the storyline is a classic, and Robin Hood, Maid Marion, and the whole cast are delightfully depicted, it was the lesser characters that grabbed my attention.
They are so well developed, so carefully crafted that I found myself looking forward to their every appearance. For instance, there's a herd of elephants that blast their trunks as if they are regal trumpets. They have such a look of royal sincerity on their faces as their trunks collapse and expand in beat with the music, you almost have to stifle a chuckle. There are stern faced rhinos that attempt to walk with grace and dignity ill befitting their stereotype. This, too, is amusing. Then there's the crocodile who only shows up once or twice with key “announcements” in a bass voice so deep, the speakers in your audio system will rattle.
But all these lesser characters do what they do with amazing faithfulness, carrying out the smallest of tasks with an enviable panache. For me, they become the heart of the story. Yet…we're never even told their names.
Without wanting to sound preachy, I ask myself…how many of us in the body of Christ are content to be “lesser characters?” How many of us are willing to simply develop, hone, and sharpen that smaller role we'll been given in the Kingdom story?
Seems to me, one of the biggest problems in the church today is our rush to grab for the lead role…our lust for the limelight.
But John the baptist has a word for those of us reaching for the stars: “He (Jesus) must increase but I must decrease.”
That's what I've been pondering lately.