What I Learnt from Fonzie

This month, I had the opportunity to go and hear Henry Winkler (aka Fonzie from Happy Days) share his life story as he released his autobiography Being Henry: The Fonz and Beyond!

Somehow I expected Henry to walk on stage, or should I say strut onto stage wearing a leather jacket with slicked back hair and to, somewhat arrogantly, share his experiences of being one of the most recognisable faces in TV history.

Instead, a sweet, kind gentleman in his 70s walked quietly onto stage wearing a knitted blue cardigan and spent 90 minutes sharing his story (in a relatively high voice!) with a little PowerPoint presentation that he'd brought.

He showed family photos, talked non-stop about his beautiful wife, shared how being "The Fonz" has given him the opportunity to support charities and speak into the lives of young children with learning disorders. He revealed the troubles he had growing up due to his extreme dyslexia and how he had to overcome those challenges. He spoke for a long, long time about his passion for ensuring every child feels "heard". He challenged everyone in the audience (which was FULL) to not allow the busyness of life to ever result in you brushing off a child. His example was that you being 30 seconds late to a meeting will have little impact to the rest of your life, but you stopping and really listening to your toddler explain why they love the colour blue will enable your child to go through life feeling that they're important to you and have an opinion that matters.

I was astounded at how different Henry Winkler is to The Fonz.

There was no arrogance. There was no sleaziness. There was nothing crass.

It showed me that Henry Winkler is obviously a very, very good actor. He made me believe that The Fonz was simply an extension of his own personality. But I was wrong. I was very wrong.

And the Lord used this to give me a very real challenge.

Who am I, really?

Is the person I am on Sunday... the REAL me?

On Sunday, I can be a person full of faith and someone who worships God wholeheartedly... but is that just a character I'm playing?

On Sunday, I can share in the offering that God is our provider and that I fully expect Him to supply our needs... but do I have that same conviction on Monday?

I would hate someone to meet me on a Wednesday and discover "Church Christine" is just as different to the real me as "The Fonz" is different to Henry Winkler.

Henry Winkler was Fonzie every Tuesday night for millions around the world. And he did share the challenge of the world thinking of him as a person that he is SO far from.
Henry was quiet, shy, insecure and didn't drink. But when he put on that leather jacket and they yelled "Action!" he transformed into The Fonz; confident, man-about-town, and the one who always had the answers.

I don't ever want my Sunday clothes to be the equivalent of that leather jacket.
I don't want to transform as I walk into Church as though someone just called "Action!".

I want to be full of faith on Sunday. I want to be a prayer on Monday. I want to be generous on Tuesday. I want to be a worshipper on Wednesday. I want to listen to the Holy Spirit on Thursday. I want to trust God is my provider on Friday. I want to care for the one on Saturday.

So I challenge you... who are you, REALLY?