Pretending to be Jesus

Ted Neeley has made a career of pretending to be Jesus. After his iconic 1973 portrayal in the musical Jesus Christ Superstar, he has continued, to this day, to play JC on stage. The fact that he can still hit those rock opera notes at 77 is totally insane.

I got to meet Ted last night. His team travels the country showing the old movie, giving behind-the-scene anecdotes, and the opportunity to get Neeley’s signature.

I started thinking about Ted’s life. 48 years of pretending to be Jesus.

How has it impacted his choices? Is he more kind, humble and gentle? When I spoke with him (as I got my t-shirt signed!) he exemplified all these qualities, but was it just an act?

If I was walking around playing the part of Jesus, what would I do differently? What if I knew people were watching my life, wondering if I would be a perfectly loving, truth telling, healer sent from God? What would I have to change about my life?

I’d talk less. I’d think about myself a LOT less. I’d make my connection with Spirit a priority throughout the day, not just in the morning- making sure I was filled up to overflowing.

But if it was an act, I couldn’t keep that up. Even the best method actors go a little crazy.

In a letter to a church in Ephesus, Paul says to “rip the cover off those frauds and see how attractive they look in the light of Christ.” Yet, in the same letter, he encourages them to “be imitators of Christ.”

Somehow, we can be imitating Christ but not be frauds.

I wonder. Is Ted Neeley a fraud or authentic?

I wonder. Am I a fraud or a fake?

I have lived the life of an actor; seeming kind, wise and spiritual on the outside but internally dark. Nowadays, my internal world matches my exterior much closer. But, it’s still a temptation to pretend.

I would love for all my words and actions to be accurate representations of Jesus. But it can’t be an act. It will only be authentic if the Love and Spirit of Christ are actually in me, becoming me.

And I’ll still be me- the most real version of me- the most beautiful.

So, instead of pretending to be Jesus, I’ll just be me. But, me, with Jesus in me.