The Rents Due

Last night I went to Casa Mana's performance of RENT. I saw RENT on Broadway six years ago. My second time seeing the performance, I interpreted the musical differently then I had the first time I saw it.

Maybe it’s age, maybe it’s the struggles, experiences, and triumphs I have experienced in the past. But six years ago I interpreted the musical as a story about hope, love, and friendship. While I still believe the musical has those elements, I left the theater with a greater picture of what the message the musical is actually sending.

After the musical was over, there was a question and answer session with Rent’s cast held for audience members. A girl in the audience asked the cast, “What do you interpret RENT to mean?” One of the main characters, Meme, replied, “You are RENTING your time here on earth. And you have to make the most of it.”  Her answer completely blew me away. I had never quite thought about the musical sending that message.

As we left the theater I kept dwelling on those two sentences. “You are RENTING your time here on earth.” That sentence in particular really stuck with me. I guess I have never considered my life being rented out. Here is my interpretation.

We have been given this incredible opportunity to live. Life is this journey that has been given to us for a reason. I am here right now in this moment because of God.  He has aligned this beautiful and unknown path for me to follow. Each day a little more of the path is revealed. How glorious is it to think of life like that? Your time here on earth is being RENTED. God has given me the opportunity to do His will and reach out to those who are lost. There are moments in my life where I am so blown away by His grace. Despite the suffering and loss I have experienced I am still filled with joy. So I guess what I am saying is, it is time for us to utilize our rent. The rent will be due one day. You may wonder when the rent will be due. And I believe the rents due when I get to heaven. Someday I will get to stand before God, hand him my lease, and say I used EVERYTHING you gave me.