I’m finishing up the first of three intensive summer semesters toward a Masters in Theater. And it has indeed been intense!! But also amazing. It’s been unique, as well, since we’re online when it’s usually an on-campus program.
Set designed by my professor (!!)
We’ve crammed 4 classes into the past month, and I was excited about all but one: Set Design. If you don’t know me well, please understand that’s it not false modesty when I say I’m not artistic. I’m just really not artistic. Seriously. One time, I tried to draw the tree split by a lightning strike in Jane Eyre for an AP Lit class, and they told me it looked just like the diagram of fallopian tubes they had just seen in Anatomy.
Anyway…Set Design. Turns out the professor is a world class set and lighting designer — he’s worked on Broadway and in London and Chicago. And I had to design a set to be graded by him. *insert a “what I have gotten myself into” emoji*
But here’s what I learned: He was not only amazing. He was also kind. He recognized we weren’t in that class because we, too, wanted to be world-class designers. We’re there to understand the art and science behind design so we can help make the shows we direct better, so we can (hopefully, eventually) work with real designers on said shows and be able to speak the same language.
That’s not to say that some of my classmates didn’t have the talent to go on to do this professionally — they do!! But that’s for another post.
As our prof explained that he enjoyed working with beginners because we are teachable, that sometimes those in the field, or those who want to be in the field, can be less-than-teachable, I thought of the ultimate Master Teacher – Jesus.
My design – go ahead and laugh. I did!
I thought of how He said we should all be like children, and that verse suddenly made more sense to me. I was very much like a child in this class. But, as a child, I did what my teacher told me! I followed his directions to the letter. When he told me to try something else or to use a different medium, I didn’t argue. Why would I? He’s a literal expert, and I, it turns out, can’t even draw a straight line with a ruler!
Then I thought, Do I do this with Jesus? When he says, “love your brother,” do I just do it, no questions asked? Sadly, no. I tend to make excuses or ask for exceptions, or explain why He couldn’t possible mean that guy. When He asks me to be content in all circumstances, do I say, “Ok!”? Ha. I whine and complain and beg Him to make the circumstances more enjoyable.
But who knows better? Me or GOD? Just as I’d never have considered telling my world-class Design prof how to create a set, why do I think I can tell the God of the Universe, who happens to love me (and others) with an unfathomable love, what He should and should not do??
I can accomplish more if I argue less and trust more. I don’t know if any of you needed to be reminded of that, but I sure did!
