I saw Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman made their first court appearances, last week, for their involvement in this college entrance scandal thing. I'm certainly not a movie enthusiast or even a big TV watcher, for that matter, so the only role I remember Felicity playing was Julia on one of my very favorite oldies, Frasier. She played a smart-mouthed, sarcastic co-worker of his. Her character was cold and always wore a smirk on her face on the sitcom, so it wasn't a big leap for my mind when I heard "Julia" was involved in such a scheme. But sweet Aunt Becky? Come on. Who would've ever thought she would've done anything like that? Next thing you know, they'll be telling us Tootie is now a lady of the night and Mary Ingalls runs a pot farm.

Will we ever get over the fact that Dr. Cliff Huxtabel was not who we thought he was, while he was giving all that good fatherly advice to Theo? And, each time, I've seen Alyssa Milano in the news, lately, I've wondered what in the world has gotten into little Samantha Micelli? Tony taught her better than that. All of this conflicted confusion is because none of the headlines match up with the roles we remember these people in or who our minds thought they were.

There are some people who'll never be able to shake the roles they once played on television or the movie screen. No matter how many years go by or what else they accomplish in their lives, some will always remain a particular character with certain attributes in our minds. I mean, after The Andy Griffith Show, Don Knotts was never seen as anyone but one bullet, bug-eyed Barney. Period. No matter how many TV shows Delta Burke starred in, she could never be anybody but our beloved Suzanne Sugarbaker, an icon among Southern women. And let's face it, if we were stuck in, say, a bank vault and the oxygen level was getting low, we'd probably all feel a whole lot better about the situation if Lynda Carter was in there with us. Not that she could do anything, but still. Chevy Chase will live out the rest of his years as Clark Griswold, who'll always be the driver of the coveted family truckster in metallic pea green. Patrick Dempsey probably wishes people would quit asking him for medical advice. Can you imagine being Steve from Blue's Clues trying to land a date with a girl when the whole world thinks you only own one green striped shirt and get way too excited about the mail? And Maureen McCormick, well, she might as well just go ahead and have her headstone engraved with Marsha, Marsha, Marsha.

And it's not always an endearing role that gets stuck in our minds. I'll never get over Glenn Close boiling the little girl's rabbit. You just don't do that, Glenn. That's what I think about when I see her to this day. I mean, I'm sure she's a nice enough lady, but I'd never ask her to feed my dog if I was going out of town. You know, just in case. I still wouldn't want to be left alone in a closet with Faye Dunaway. She was so wrong for that. I don't care how many characters she's played since then, I see her face in my head when I come across a wire hanger. I'd most likely go digging for my mace if I met Christopher Walken in an alleyway. And I'm pretty sure I'd turn down Kathy Bates if she ever offered to take me to her house to convalesce after an accident. Appreciate it so much, Kathy, but I wouldn't want to trouble you. 

Actors aren't the only ones, who have trouble shaking roles or images. We all have the tendency to lock ourselves and others into certain parts, but, sometimes, roles are cut or changed. They're no longer needed. Become irrelevant. Or are recasted. With my grown up kids, I can tell you if I try to go back and reclaim my past role as mother of small kids, well, it is never very well received. It's because I've moved beyond the part of my life (and theirs) where that role is needed or wanted, but it's something I really, really enjoyed being. There are just some things that we won't be forever. A student. A caregiver. A nurse. A supervisor. A daughter. An athlete. Life changes. Death, divorce, job loss, aging, health diagnosis, retirement, financial changes. There are a million reasons that can cause us to change roles or suddenly lose a part we once played. It's almost never easy to suddenly be cut from what we've been doing for so long. Especially from that one thing we've always been known for. Sometimes, we can feel like our identity has been lost and we're left not really sure what to do with our hands.

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens."
Ecclesiastes 3:1

"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 a hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

We can also chain ourselves or others to a particular part by hanging onto assumptions based on past performances. We form our estimations of people as we see them early on and they become cemented in our minds. We've all made different names for ourselves. Some are good and we're awfully proud of those. Some are bad or regrettable and still have the power to make us blush if we let them. Some names were lost along the way. Maybe that was a good thing. Maybe it wasn't. Some, we'd give our right arm to get back. Some, we'd do anything if we could just forget. Maybe it was just one bad decision that took it away. Maybe a series of missteps. Or it wasn't even our fault. Could be we'd just like to move on and be known for something else. Something more honorable and meaningful. Sometimes, we just don't feel like we live up to the roles we play or the characters we like to portray. We disappoint. We get disappointed. We're all human. Needing forgiveness. Mercy. Grace. And a chance to start again when we mess up. We crave those things from each other. We crave those things from ourselves. We crave those things from our Creator.

"Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun. And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ."
2 Corinthians 5:17-18

"And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you." Ephesians 4:32

Jesus understood the importance of fresh starts and the significant impact that role changes can have in our lives. He changed Peter's name when He called him to be one of His disciples. He was Simon, the fisherman, and Jesus changed him to Peter, the apostle. "Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means 'rock'), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it." Matt 16:18  It was a new name for a new role he would play. A new direction his life would take. A new purpose for his days. He'd be known for playing a much more important part than his old role as a fisherman. And he'd always be remembered for being so much more than a denier.

Good or bad, we've all played a number of parts in our lives and, positive or negative, there have been a lot of estimations made about us based on those performances. But, the most important role we could ever sign up for is follower of Jesus. And the only judgement we should ever fear is His. He can give us a new name and a new identity. He offers a new purpose and a new start to anyone who believes in Him.        

"If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord." and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead,  you will be saved." Romans 10:9

"See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are." 1 John 3:1

"Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:14 


I hope y'all have a great Tuesday, friends.