February 25, 2025

Gene Kelly tap dances across the screen through a swirl of vivid colors. “I love Singing in the Rain,” I say as I dig into the bowl of popcorn sitting on my lap. Ed, Ruth, and I enjoy watching classic movies, and today we all voted on watching Singing in the Rain.

“You know, one time I was in a situation like the one in this movie,” Ed says.

“What do you mean?” I ask.

“Well, you know how in the movie, the actress Lina Lamont can’t sing and she has to lip-sync?”

I nod, wondering where on earth this story is going. Ed continues: “One time, I was helping run an evangelistic crusade in Peru with my brother-in-law, Luis Palau. We had a very skilled worship leader from the United States who helped us lead the services. But one night, we came to a town where unfortunately, because of political tensions, there was a very strong strain of anti-American sentiment. Luis was concerned that the American worship leader would cause the audience to react negatively. A Latino leading the worship would be more likely to make a good impression on the attendees.

To my surprise, Luis asked me to lead the worship service that night. There was just one problem: I couldn’t sing at all! I told this to Luis, but he was adamant that it must be me. So I came up with a plan. I found the American worship leader and told him: ‘You must stay underneath the stage, hidden from view, with your microphone ready. When I am announced and go on stage and the music starts, start to sing!’ I remember going on stage that night, smiling at the audience, and inviting them to join me in worship. As soon as the worship leader began to sing, I lip-synced right along with him, just like Lina Lamont did in Singing in the Rain! I was sure that at some point I’d close my mouth at the wrong moment and the disembodied voice would keep singing, or that the worship leader would get carried away with the excitement and throw in an extra chorus. But miraculously, I stayed perfectly in sync! I even began to enjoy “singing” the beautiful hymns along with the congregation. When it was finally over, I wanted to dance off the stage with joy. Luis and I shared a conspiratorial smile as he mounted the stage to give the message. But the best part of that night came after the worship service and after Luis’s message: when we did the altar call, many people in that little town came to know Jesus!”

“I felt a little silly going on the stage that night, but I knew that it wasn’t my gifts or talents that were going to lead people to Christ. I just trusted that God had called us to that place for a reason and that ultimately, He was the one who would bring people to Himself,” Ed says.

As I reflect on the story, it reminds me of this verse: “Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:26-31)

In this world, we are so often measured by our natural abilities or attributes: how smart, good looking, talented, impressive or charismatic we are. But in God’s kingdom, all we have to be is humble and obedient and faith-filled. Although this may seem foolish to the world, we know that we are called by God and that He can use even the seemingly weak, foolish, or lowly things to do something amazing!

-Eutychus