Sync Up

Ever wondered what those clapperboards are really for on a movie shoot? Does everyone on the set not already know why they’re there? Do they get confused between scenes? Do they get easily distracted and need an attention-getter from the folks in the chairs? What’s the deal?

I learned something about this from Bob Goff’s book “Everybody, Always”. Hollywood uses these clapperboards to begin each scene with the snap noise of the clapper in order to give a succinct sound and motion for the audio and video to be synced together with in editing. Without it, the audio could be out of sync, or “off” from the video, making the people’s lips and movements be either behind or ahead of the sounds of the scene. We’ve all experienced that, and it’s definitely distracting. I’ve given up on movies because I couldn’t get the audio and video synced correctly. No, thank you!

Similarly, every now and then, I get a notification that my contacts on my phone are not “synced” with my contacts in the cloud (wherever that really is amid the interwebs and nets…). When that happens, I’m missing contacts with people that I once had. I don’t have their info to reach them. Another frustrating situation.

So, my mind spins on this word “sync”. When audio and video are out of “sync”, the people, scenes and words don’t line up. When my contacts are out of “sync”, my information is not there when I need it, and I can’t reach people.

How many of our lives are out of “sync”? Maybe we act like we’re smarter, more mature, more successful, more spiritual or even happier than we really are. Maybe we put up a front so that others don’t really see in. Maybe our hearts don’t line up with our words, our walk or our claims. Maybe we’re spiritually out of “sync”.

Who are we doing it for? For ourselves? We know the truth. For others? Here’s news - they probably know the truth, also. For God? He DEFINITELY knows the truth! So why do we do it? Goff says “when we act like someone we’re not, it’s often because we are not happy with who we are”. True. If that stretches us toward getting better and growing in our faith, it can be useful. If it doesn’t, we will never fully realize our potential in Christ because our attention and efforts will be going towards trying to be someone we aren’t or who someone else wants us to be. And guess what? When we are not living authentically, others will sense that and connections will be broken and “off”.

So, let’s “sync” up and start living honestly. Let’s pursue God and who HE wants us to be. Let’s be authentic with those around us. It’s ok if they know we mess up. It’s ok if they know that we’re in process. It’s ok if they know we haven’t reached who we are fully meant to be yet. What’s important is that we stay in “sync” with God, with ourselves, and with others. From there, our lives will begin to “line up” as God intended.

Action!