The Perfect Shot

by: Josh Jang

Since I’ve been doing a little more photography and video work, It’s amazing what I have learned can be hidden just out of frame in a camera shot. We fight in lights, microphones, flex fills, assistants, the camera bag, you name it! These are always just perfectly out of frame or set aside so that you can focus fully on the final product. But the beautiful image isn’t possible without all of these things. The things we don’t want in frame are still what makes the final image possible...

As a campus minister, there are plenty of highs and lows in the work that we do. I may post a video or photo of a large gathering (pre-Covid of course) that shows how many people have come to our chapter’s events. I might take a quick photo of a meal I’m having with a student or other coworkers to highlight the personal and relational highs of my job. I may post about the moments of celebrating someone’s renewed commitment to their relationship with Jesus. All in all these moments are amazing and are worth celebrated, but there are plenty of posts that we don’t make or see as worth celebrating.

We often don’t post about the two hours spent before a small group just to have no one show up for the fourth week now. We often don’t post pictures of moments where we have been "ghosted" for student meetings. We often don’t post about the days that it’s just really hard to show up and feel like we need God a little extra that day. But all of those moments that we celebrate and show to others are not possible without all the stuff that happens out off view of others. 

It’s easy to feel as if those parts of our struggle and journey of leading and following Jesus shouldn’t see the light of day. But on the contrary, I believe that being transparent and honest about those moments give others such greater appreciation and understanding of where those amazing moments in our journey with Jesus come from. This doesn’t just count for the “bad” moments of our ministry or journey with Jesus, but especially the “boring” parts.

“Master of Suspense” and director of over 50 films, Alfred Hitchcok once said that “Drama is just life with the dull parts cut out.” We understand that the “boring” parts would slow down a movie but in our minds they still happen because we wouldn’t be able to see proper story or character development without them. 
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The not so exciting or amazing things we don’t tell others about is what gives the exciting moments of our ministry and our life more depth and meaning. And even if no one sees the work you put into making these moments and days happen, know that the Lord sees your effort. Jesus sees your faithfulness and even sees you in your moments where you just need rest. Jesus sees these moments and holds us in it.