One thing that both Polish and Italian cultures embrace is
dancing, and my parents were great at it. When they first met after World War
II, they would go out dancing with their friends all around Baltimore. And
since my grandmothers bore a total of 28 aunts and uncles, there were plenty of
weddings for my almost innumerable cousins affording countless opportunities
for dancing.
Whenever my parents got up to dance, they were the center of
attention. Their faces lit up with excitement and enjoyment as they moved
across the floor with such great grace and energy. People would move off the
dance floor just to watch them, clapping with the music and finishing the
number with applause for the music, the entertainment and my parents.
It was a source of pride to be their son. Family members,
friends and even strangers would come up to them; shake their hand, patting
them on the back. Everyone was astounded and amazed at their dancing skill.
At one point in my life I was absolutely convinced that
dancing was a learned talent and not genetic. I came to this scientific and
statistical conclusion because I have enough trouble just walking, no less
dancing. You would be amazed, or perhaps you wouldn’t, to know how many times I
trip over myself, a leaf on the sidewalk, crack in the street or curb. My
knees, elbows, hands and head all bear the scars of countless close encounters of
the third kind with the floor, street, sidewalk, pieces of furniture.
But dancing appears to be one of those DNA things that skip
a generation. Our daughter Jenny is a phenomenal swing dancer. Watching her
live and through video clips, my jaw still drops as she effortlessly moves
across the floor, synchronized with her dancing partner; arm in arm, spinning, moving
across the floor while they talk. With great big smiles on their faces and
laughter in their hearts, they move within a crowd of other dancers like a
great school of fish who are all connected by some mysterious, invisible
string. When the dance is over, they clap and laugh while I trip and almost
fall trying to get a bottle of water.
While some of us can dance better than others, we all desire
this kind of close friendship and contact with people. Even though I trip over
myself as I just walk across a dance floor, there is still that hidden part of
me that wants to dance. And somewhere deep down we also want this with God. We
want a close, transparent and open relationship with God but we somehow feel
dirty, unworthy and guilty about approaching him.
The great news is that God wants to dance with us. More than
just a close, step by step and completely open and ongoing connection, God
wants to be part of our lives. To prove it, he came in Jesus Christ, fully God
and completely human all at the same time. The Bible uses some very interesting
and relational language to describe Jesus as someone who is “alongside” and
“near” us. He is also “holding with” us in this life and forward into all
eternity. [1]
When we read those words, doesn’t it sound just like
dancing? God wants to be alongside us, moving step by step with us, holding
onto us. Yes, God wants to dance with you and me. But as with dancing, it can’t
be forced. He offers to dance with us, but we have to reach out our hand and
welcome him alongside. He will not force us to dance with him. But we know that
he greatly wants to dance with us. Our part is to open ourselves up to his
invitation to dance.
Now I can hear some of you saying, “But Chet, you don’t know
how I’ve stumbled and fallen in the past. My hands, mind and life are dirty
from all my dancing disasters.” While that is true for all of us, God also
knows all about us yet he openly and freely wants to dance with us, face to
face.
I would really encourage you to reach out your hand and life
to Jesus, inviting him to dance with you today. He’s life’s great dancing
partner, knowing us, looking into our hearts with love and acceptance. As we
live and dance with him, gliding side-by-side, arm-in-arm, hand-in-hand with us across the dance floor
of life.
Blessings - Chet
Chet Gladkowski speaks and writes on topics that touch on culture,
life and faith through GLAD Associates. This article is taken from a chapter in
his upcoming book.
[1] Hebrews 2:14
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