So, as you may have gathered by now, the virtuous cycling tours of Alwoodley, running alongside a strongminded 3-year-old on a bike have (thankfully) died down! To replace them, we have started getting into more movies and some fab film nights.
This week brings us to (arguably) one of the best Disney movies in recent times – Enchanted. Like many of the early, fairy-tale-style Disney movies it starts with a young lady, in a forest, dreaming of meeting her true love, but on the day of her wedding, disaster strikes and Giselle finds herself in Manhattan. No longer in cartoon form, but still carrying all the wonderful innocence you would expect of an early-era Disney Princess (think singing to the forest creatures for help with the cleaning). Now distressed and alone, Giselle meets Robert and bit by bit, helps him tackle his cynical attitude to love.
The song attached is the moment just after Robert has explained to Giselle that he has no need to tell his fiancée that he loves her…because she…just knows. Hence the challenge of the song, “How will she know?”
How do people know they are loved unless told?
How do people know anything unless there is clear communication?
My business works with organisations of all sizes and in all sectors helping with the people-side of culture-change, leadership and transformation and, 99 times out of 100, one of the big issues we have to find a way to overcome is that of communication.
Sometimes those brave conversations are avoided. Sometimes the truth is sugar coated (or worse, laced with bile). Some people are kept out of the loop, whilst in other organisations, people know too much. Communication is the life blood of these organisations and is critical to how connected people feel. I have not yet broken out in song, but I often ask how they expect people to know – know what is going on; know they are valued; know they have a purpose.
I was so excited last week when I drove past church and saw that brilliant new banner (big thanks to Karen Ross for sorting that!). Something so highly visible and simple to understand. A message to anyone walking or driving past. A message that shows we want to look outward as well as in. A message that starts the connection (or builds on it) to tell people that we, the church of Christ, have a message for them. That we are more that a building. That we are the bride of Christ. His family. His people. His tribe…and He wants them to be part of it.
A simple message – that carries more. The effort to get this sign done shows love. Love for folk we may not even know and who (almost certainly) are not part of our church family…yet.
But unless we get the message out…how will they know? How will they know we love them? That Christ loves them?
Maybe as we enter this 2nd phase of lockdown, part of your prayer and searching could be to ask God…who are the people you want me to tell? Who are the people I can show the love of Christ to? Who are the people I will pray for an opportunity to witness to?
And why would we do this? The same question Giselle asked…How will they know? If not us, who?
I remember a hymn we used to sing in the Baptist church I grew up in, Go Forth and Tell (and oldie but a goodie!) and the second verse is simply this:
Go forth and tell! God’s love embraces all;
he will in grace respond to all who call:
how shall they call if they have never heard
the gracious invitation of his word?
The same question…How will they know? They know when we tell them; by phone, in a text, by (distanced) visit, by email, on a website, via social media, on a live stream, by a HUGE banner! As David wrote in Psalm 96:
Sing to the LORD; praise his name. Each day proclaim the good news that he saves. Publish his glorious deeds among the nations. Tell everyone about the amazing things he does. Great is the LORD! He is most worthy of praise! He is to be feared above all gods.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arHv0Iu4vSA