Changed For The Better

Over the years, I've had the privilege of seeing numerous musicals: Les Miserables, Phantom of the Opera, Miss Saigon, Fiddler on the Roof, Cats, Annie, Ragtime, Honk, Guys and Dolls, Godspell, Rent, Singing In The Rain, The Color Purple, Legally Blonde, Stomp, and more. Some of the musicals are light. Some of them hold deep meaning. Some of them I've really liked and seen more than once. Some of them didn't appeal to me, so I probably wouldn't see them again (unless someone gave me a free ticket :-)).

One musical that I would see over and over again, though, is the current Broadway sensation "Wicked." Billed as the "true story of the wicked witch of the west," Wicked is an amazing look at how appearance, stereotype, and close-mindedness can work together to create a culture of fear that leads its members to live with an "us against them" attitude that literally can destroy a group's presence and a person's reputation.

Before I went to see the show a few years ago, I had listened to the music and practically memorized every word. I wasn't 100% sure of what was going to happen in the storyline, but I was excited to watch it all play out and antsy to hear my favorite songs. What took me off guard was that my least favorite song going into the show actually became one of my favorite songs coming out of it.

I don't know how to explain what happened without giving away the storyline to those who haven't seen the show, but I'm going to try...and ask forgiveness if this creates a spoiler.

Basically, the two main characters, Galinda and Elphaba, have loathed each other until this point in the show. Just before going to a dance, Galinda gives Elphaba a hat that Elphaba then wears to the dance. When she walks in, everyone stops dancing and stares at her. Even after realizing that she has, once again, been made the brunt of a joke, Elphaba continues to walk into the dance, creating her own dance to her own music in her own world, no longer caring what anyone thinks. When Galinda sees this, something inside her begins to change and her heart begins to soften. Despite the stares of her popular, "in"-crowd friends, she moves to stand beside Elphaba and join in Elphaba's dance. Before long, everyone is doing Elphaba's dance as well...and Galinda and Elphaba are smiling together...having just become friends without ever saying a word.

Something about that whole scene makes me weep. In my mind, in that moment, Galinda realizes that she has done wrong--that her actions have been hurtful--that Elphaba has had to live a life of judgment, has never been accepted because of the color of her skin--that there is more to her than her appearance--and literally steps out to make things right and to show solidarity with Elphaba--despite the fact that she, in turn, could have ruined her reputation--and reputation is everything in "Wicked."

I cannot think of a more beautiful expression of repentence and humility...nor can I think of a more beautiful illustration of the power of standing in solidarity.

There are a lot of people in this world that we don't understand--who look and act differently than us. Yet God has called us to be a people of love and to celebrate the diversity of God's creation, even when it means humbling ourselves in repentence and taking a leap of faith.

Because Galinda stood beside Elphaba in that moment, they formed a friendship that positively and eternally changed both of their lives.

May I always have the humility,strength, and courage to look beyond myself and embrace the outcast...knowing that I could be embracing the very goodness of Christ...remembering the times that I have been embraced...celebrating the fact that with everyone person I meet, our lives could be changed for the better...