Month: June 2017

The Sound of Music illustrates several life lessons, which we continue to share with readers, such as how to deal with “moonbeams” and “misfits,” and the importance for creators and dreamers to venture beyond their comfort zones. In the 1965 Academy Award-winning musical, these are the issues facing the Mother Superior at an Austrian abbey, after she meets Maria, a rambunctious novice who doesn’t appear to be cut out for service in a convent.

The Mother Superior copes with Maria with love and understanding, first accepting her for who she is, then facilitating Maria’s unique gifts and talents. And, realizing that the novice’s destiny may lie outside of the familiar and secure surroundings of the abbey — serving God in other ways — the Mother Superior patiently prods Maria to get out of her comfort zone. In essence, she gives the young woman a gentle but firm push out the nest.

Leaving one’s comfort zone can be daunting: going new places and seeing new faces. It can be like navigating uncharted waters in the company of “strangers”! The Mother Superior knows this, of course, so before she allows Maria to venture out into — pardon the cliché — the “cold cruel world,” this wise spiritual leader offers some sound advice (in a song, no less): “Climb every mountain, Search high and low; Follow every byway, Every path you know. Ford every stream, Follow every rainbow, ‘Till you find your dream.”

This beautiful song offers some priceless guidance for all dreamers and creators. But in truth, it’s good advice for everyone:

• Don’t let a fear of the unknown keep you from making changes and taking risks. Change promotes physical/spiritual/emotional growth. In fact, the growing process is just another form of changing. Also, “risks” may actually be opportunities in disguise. As the saying goes, “Nothing ventured, nothing gained.”

“For I am about to do something new. …Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.” (Isaiah 43:19 NLT)

• Leave your comfort zone: “The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.” (Psalm 37:23 NLT)

• Step out in faith. That’s how we grow — with each step we take. “The just shall live by faith.” (Habakkuk 2:4 AKJ; Romans 1:17 KJB) “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7 KJB)

• Don’t bank on what seems logical. Just because something makes perfect sense doesn’t necessarily mean it’s right. Recall, for instance, that Maria had a great love and devotion for her Lord; and she wanted to serve Him with her life. So becoming a nun probably seemed like the logical thing for her to do. Furthermore, in a devout Catholic family, having a son enter the Priesthood, or a daughter become a nun, is considered both a privilege and a great honor.

For Maria, staying put in the convent, where she was training to become a nun, was the logical thing to do. Leaving to work as a governess, even for a short time, didn’t make any sense at all. Maria probably viewed the job as a step backwards, or a step in the wrong direction; and the time she spent doing it as a major delay. Fortunately, the novice took the advice “to climb every mountain.” Had she relied on logic, she would have missed her true calling and destiny.

To quote Mister Spock, in an unusually light episode of Star Trek, “Logic is a wreath of pretty flowers which smell BAD!” Or, more to the point, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.” (Proverbs 3:5 ESV)

• Don’t play it safe by settling for where you are. It might be nice, but is it God’s best for you? Is it the perfect place and future He has planned for you? Well, you’ll never know for sure until you “Follow every byway, Every path you know.” Failing to do this, you just might be settling for second best.

Maria was CONVINCED that her calling in life was to be a nun — albeit an unconventional nun. Her dream was certainly a noble one, and yet, the Lord had other plans for her. But wait, are God’s plans always better than ours?

Somewhere, this very moment, someone is wondering, What if I don’t LIKE God’s plans. They may also be thinking that they’d rather make their own plans. In response to this, please remember a verse we introduced earlier in Boot Camp: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV)

Are you in a place today that’s just OK? Are you in a job, career, or ministry that seems fine, but you feel you’ve got other gifts and talents crying out to be used? Do you believe God has something better awaiting you … out there in the uncharted waters of life? Perhaps you need to “Ford every stream” — or at least a few new ones.

Are you hanging around the wrong circle of friends? People who are pleasant but who have no vision or motivation to reach higher? Who are not exactly encouraging when it comes to your dreams and creative pursuits? Do they help you to be your best, or do they drag you down? Are you growing within your relationships? Remember, change promotes growth. So “Climb every mountain…. Follow every rainbow, ‘Till you find your dream.”

Do you sense that this “season” in your life is over; that NEW and BETTER things lie ahead of you? Then stay with us, as we continue to explore the lessons of The Sound of Music, a modern parable for dreamers and creators.

We’ve been discussing The Sound of Music and the “life lessons” which all dreamers, creators, and people in general, can take from this 1965 Academy Award-winning musical.

In the movie, Maria is an unconventional and often annoying novice at an Austrian abbey. But despite her unconventionality, the Sisters have loved, accepted, and patiently prayed for Maria. The Mother Superior has even acted as a “Barnabas” (supporter/friend/facilitator; see Acts 9:26-31) to the novice; but this wise servant of God is beginning to suspect that, to quote one of the songs in the movie, “a problem like Maria” may not be suited or destined to life as a nun; that in fact, God’s purpose and plan for Maria may lie outside the convent.

Mother Superior knows that you can’t hold a “moonbeam” in your hand. Likewise, you shouldn’t try to restrain a person’s individuality, discourage their dreams, or crush their creativity. And although God wants us all to be actively involved in His “work,” there are many different ways in which we can serve Him.

Pastors, priests, rabbis, teachers, and other spiritual leaders would do well to encourage their congregants to also seek “ministry” beyond the four walls of local church or synagogue. The world needs Godly educators, politicians, scientists, artists, entertainers, and others who can take the life-altering message of the Scriptures to the masses. Jesus said, “You are the light of the world.” (Matthew 5:14 NIV) As such, God desires that we illuminate the way for others, by our example and influence. And face it, there are far more opportunities to “light the way” outside the familiarity and security of our faith communities.

Light shines the brightest in the presence of darkness. (See John 1:5) Partly for this reason, and partly because of Maria’s abundant enthusiasm and unique talents, the Mother Superior asks her novice to serve as governess to the children of the recently widowed (and rather stuffy and severe) Captain Von Trapp.

At first Maria objects. Her new task is more than a little daunting, and Maria would much rather remain within the safe and familiar confines of the abbey. She is adamantly against the idea of working outside the convent, and makes all kinds of excuses and promises to do better. Truth is,  like so many dreamers and creators, Maria has grown accustomed to staying in her “comfort zone” and doesn’t feel she’s up to stretching her wings and expanding her horizons.

Most of us can relate. Change is difficult. Change can even be scary. But change is necessary for physical, spiritual and intellectual growth. Oftentimes people will do everything in their power to avoid change, even when they sense, deep in their hearts, that something better awaits them — outside of their familiar surroundings and trusted routines.

Fear of the unknown can be emotionally crippling. It can limit our choices and opportunities, stifle of creativity and cause us to stall in the pursuit of our dreams. But our Heavenly Father has an antidote for fear: His LOVE, combined with our faith, reinforced by the Word of God.

“God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” (2 Timothy 1:7 NLT)

“Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear.” (1 John 4:18 NLT)

“You have already won a victory … because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.” (1 John 4:4 NLT)

“I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.” (Jeremiah 31:3 ESV) “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” (Hebrews 13:5 NLT)

Despite Maria’s pleas to be allowed to remain in the convent, the Mother Superior is firm. Like a mother eagle, she nudges her nestling from the familiar surroundings of the abbey, in the hopes that Maria will find her “wings” and take flight — that the young woman will become all that God intended her to be. This is a prime example of TOUGH LOVE, and it’s precisely what’s needed when dealing with people who find themselves at a crossroads, who need to make hard choices, and who need a gentle but FIRM push forward.

The Apostle Paul states, “…We will no longer be infants, tossed about by the waves and carried around by every wind…. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Christ….” (Ephesians 4:14-15 Berean SB)

Are you still searching for your “One Thing”? (See Philippians 3:13) Have you found yourself at a crossroads, needing to make difficult and perhaps painful decisions? Do you feel as if you’re life has been turned upside down due to tragic circumstances; that your dream is dead and your “life is over”?

Or are you in a situation similar to the one Maria was in, at the beginning of The Sound of Music — not exactly where God wants you to be; or not doing what He designed you for? Do you feel your gifts and talents are more suited to other pursuits? Or that perhaps something better is awaiting you outside of your comfort zone?

Listen to Godly counsel! That’s what Maria did, and it changed her life for the best (God’s best). Even though she didn’t want to leave the safety of the convent, in order to assume new tasks and new challenges in new — and strange — environments, she nevertheless submitted to the wisdom and authority of her spiritual leader, which took great humility. Remember, Maria always wanted to be a nun. Furthermore, she was convinced that her Heavenly Father had called her specifically to this kind of service. Quite a miscalculation, wouldn’t you agree?

Maria could have refused and rebelled. Instead, she listened and heeded — to the sound advice of a Godly person. In so doing, she found her true calling and God’s best for her life. Which serves as a great lesson for all of us: “…Place yourselves under the authority of spiritual leaders. Furthermore … serve each other with humility, because God opposes the arrogant but favors the humble.” (1 Peter 5:5 GW)

Of course, the Mother Superior didn’t let Maria fly from the nest without first giving her some sound advice — in a memorable song, no less! We’ll share both the song and its life-changing message next session.