Prepared for the Unexpected
Luke 12:35-48
Joe Claro tells a great story about the making of one of Cecil B. DeMillle's epic films. The film was a biblical extravaganza with a cast of thousands.
Normally, movies are filmed in tiny pieces, but this day's scene was going to be shot live, with all 600 or so actors and extras going into action at once. DeMille had stationed eleven cameras at various points to pick up the action. They had started work at six in the morning and the complete scene had been rehearsed four times. After each rehearsal, hundreds of actors and dozens of technicians would go back to square one to get ready to begin again.
Now it was late afternoon. The sun was on its way down behind the hills, and there was just time enough to get the shot itself done. DeMille looked over the panorama, saw that all was right, and gave the command to begin again. One hundred extras stormed down a hill. Another hundred stormed up the same hill, ready to do mock battle. In another location, fifty Roman centurions lashed at two hundred slaves who labored to move a huge stone monument. The scene took a good fifteen minutes to complete. When it was over, DeMille yellred, "Cut!" and turned to his assistant director. "I thought it was terrific!" De Mille said smiling.
"It was, CB.," the assistant said excitedly. "It went off perfectly."
Enormously pleased, the director turned to the head of his camera crew to find out if all the cameras had picked up what they were supposed to film. He waved to the camera supervisor. From the top of the hill, the camera supervisor waved back. Then the camera supervisor called out, "Ready when you are, C.B. !" The cameras had not been turned on. A day's hard work had been in vain.
"Be prepared." That's the scout motto, isn't it? "Be prepared." It's also the motto of the follower of Jesus. Be prepared. It's like the master of a large estate, says Jesus, who goes to a wedding banquet. When he returns home, he expects his servants to be at their posts so that when he knocks on the door, they will immediately open the door for him to come in. If they are prepared for his coming, then the master will reward them bountifully. They will sit at his table, and he himself will serve them. If they are not at the post, the master will deal with that, too. “Be ready,” counseled Jesus. Be prepared. There is probably no wiser advice than that. Be prepared. It is wise advice in terms of our relationship with Christ. It is wise advice in our everyday lives!
Questions to Ponder
Have you ever had a hard day's work end in vain?
Do you stay prepared for the challenges of life?
Do you stay prepared in following Jesus?
In His Service,
Terry Phillips
