Singin’ in the Rain

kroger danceWednesday was particularly autumn-like in these parts. The weather was chilly and damp and Londonesque, and the most resilient among the colorful leaves yet unfallen seemed to be hanging on for dear life. I stopped by the grocery store on my way to mid-week supper at church, and noticed upon approaching the market a gentleman who seemed nearly oblivious to the world around him.

The man was dancing. I mean really dancing, right there on the sidewalk. The boombox-delivered tunes were lively, and evoked happy memories of days gone by. (That would have been the most likely reaction of anyone 40 and up.) The songs that you hear on the car radio that instantly transport you to a simpler time.

At first most of the shoppers and passersby seemed outwardly unmoved by the gentleman’s unusual behavior. Maybe they’d seen him before. Then, as if on cue, these strikingly gut-level and ear-to-ear grins would erupt — as if drawn out of a well where they couldn’t be contained.

It was obvious that this man was there to dance, regardless of human reaction or response. He was apparently not offended by my snapping a picture, though I apologize for the fuzziness of this photo. There simply was no lull in the action so that I could get a better one.

I’d love to know the guy’s story. Maybe he’s between jobs. A former entertainer of some sort perhaps. Or just a victim of the economy whose creativity couldn’t be snuffed out. At the very least, the street dancer is an industrious chap willing to expend a boatload of energy for only an occasional tip.

Now I’m not advocating that we all take to the streets of Paducah where we’ll bust a move for a living. But I do think there’s much to be learned from our uninhibited neighbor at the grocery store. I’ll suggest just three such lessons, seeking forgiveness in advance from anyone who wants me to be deeply theological all of the time.

1. Life’s too short to be overly concerned about what everybody thinks.

2. If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing with passion.

3. A song and a smile go a long way, and may in fact start an epidemic.

If you are in Christ, your right standing with God is eternally secure. It’s based on Christ’s righteousness, which you have received by faith, and which has been fully credited to you. You are forgiven, clean, and whole. You’re a totally new creation (Second Corinthians 5:17) by God’s grace through the cross where His Son died in your place.

Were we to live our lives with a view of the gospel of Jesus always before the eyes of our hearts, we would be free indeed. We would continually celebrate our own resurrection life in the Christ whom the grave could not defeat. And even on rainy days, we would sing and dance for an audience of one: our Savior, Lord, and King.

Posted in Blog Posts
8 comments on “Singin’ in the Rain
  1. Dan Hurt says:

    Mr. Hicks dances to raise $$$$ for Easter Seals Telethon and has done so for 13 consecutive years.

  2. carla & darrell walker says:

    Hey Charles, his name is Freddy. He dances for the telethon of stars. They raise money for special needs people in the local region. He is a good dancer. I have seen home in action regularly at mothers.he also gives dance lessons too. Ask rusty banks.

  3. kathy Shoffeitt says:

    You give people a song in their heart as you preach Gods word with passion and love.

  4. He also retired from the Kroger meat dept. He’ll keep “dancing in the rain” till the Lion’s Club Telethon airs.

  5. Alva House says:

    This man dances every year for the telethon. He has raised over $150,00 . I have even danced with him because he is so great of a
    dancer. Sorry you didn’t know about this nice man.It’s worth a tip to dance
    with him. He was on the news this week, you probably missed it. We
    couldn’t help but laugh at your blog and your discovery.

    Alva

  6. Lloyd Housman says:

    Freddie is quite a “Legend” in his own right in Paducah. What a blessing to see him sharing his God-given talents to raise money for the Telethon for Special Needs children. The Telethon always gives a tabulation of how any pairs of shoes he has worn-out dancing for them. Look for Freddie next year on Kroger’s doorstep

  7. George B. says:

    Better yet to dance out of joy being in Christ. He is most happy with us when we are most happy with him… Christian hedonism as expressed by Dr. John Piper.

  8. Brenda Wright says:

    Pastor Moore, Freddie also dances for Relay For Life for a least a week and has for many years. What most people don’t know about Freddie this year is, that he has been dancing for 12 straight days, with a tear in his hernia. He is so dedicated to the telethon that he has put off his surgery until this Tuesday. Freddie has a heart of gold and loves the Lord! Prayer is the only way he was able to get through this difficult time. Thanks for your post, I’m proud to say Freddie is a friend of mine and a blessing to many. Larry brought this to my attention, because my e-mail has recently been change and I no longer get your blogs, please add my address to your contacts.

    In Christ Name, Brenda Wright

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