Whatever Works

A fairytale, a donkey, and a British actor: what do they all have in common?

At five years old, I was a goner. Propped in front of the television, sitting on the floor.

Franco Zeffirelli is to blame.

His miniseries, “Jesus of Nazareth.”

Yes, the breathtaking location, and yes, well, Scripture, of course.

And, yes, the star-studded cast, including Christopher Plummer, Anne Bancroft, Olivia Hussey, James Earl Jones, Ernest Borgnine, and Sir Lawrence Olivier.

And someone else…

Robert Powell.

Cue my first Holy Crush.

Different than Shawn Cassidy, Leif Garrett, and the Grizzly Adams’, lead actor, Dan Haggerty.

Robert Powell, as, drumroll, please…

Jesus.

Yep, the leading man.

And Man, did he ever get my five-year-old attention!

For starters. This British actor had these incredible, big blue eyes… that, within the miniseries, really didn’t blink.

Now, being a theatre major myself, I have no idea if that was a special technique these classically trained Shakespearean actors learned.

Classrooms over RADA drama students rehearsing stare downs, in the heart of London? Who knows?

But it was a mesmerizing thing to behold. Piercing, ethereal blue eyes, boring holes into you.

Complete attunement of the most Divine.

No looking away. Intense.

Direct. Eye. Contact.

Now, how about adding a relatable young girl to the mix?

I give you Jairus’ Daughter:

  “While He was still speaking, they came from the house of the synagogue official, saying, ‘Your daughter has died; why trouble the Teacher anymore?’  But (Yahshua) Jesus, overhearing what was being spoken, said to the synagogue official, ‘Do not be afraid any longer, only believe.’  And He allowed no one to accompany Him, except Peter and James and John the brother of James.  They came to the house of the synagogue official; and He saw a commotion, and people loudly weeping and wailing.  And entering in, He said to them, ‘Why make a commotion and weep? The child has not died but is asleep.’  They began laughing at Him. But putting them all out, He took along the child’s father and mother and His own companions and entered the room where the child was.  Taking the child by the hand, He said to her, ‘Talitha Cumi!’ (which translated means, ‘Little girl, I say to you, get up!’).  Immediately the girl got up and began to walk, for she was twelve years old. And immediately they were completely astounded.  And He gave them strict orders that no one should know about this, and He said that something should be given her to eat.”

Mark 5:35-43

Seeing Robert Powell, as (Yahshua) Jesus, in Blue-eyed, non-blinking action, resurrect this girl?

DO YOU WANNA TALK SOME EPIC FAIRYTALE PRINCE CHARMING????!!!

Annnnnnnnnnnnnnnd, this would show up almost twenty years later.

Inspiring an association with my eating disorder behavior, and, oh yeah, my spiritual rededication…

“…I decided to fight as hard as I could, not because I was nobly seeking after God, but because I was scared to death of my life without Him. I had to find this story of Jairus’s daughter, but more than that, I had to find God Himself.

                The guilt and shame over my past took a backseat to my new urgency in finding God. Some days, I felt like I was saved and on my way to a wonderful life with God. Other days, I left the lights on and slept clutching my Bible for dear life, like a child clutches a teddy bear. I cried. I laughed. I shouted. I cowered. I whispered and whimpered. But through it all, I kept praying, “God, be real to me, be real.” And I kept reading the Bible.

                I finally found the story in Mark 5:21-24 and 35-43. It started out with desperate parents wanting their daughter healed…”

(Excerpt from “Thin Enough: My Spiritual Journey Through the Living Death of an Eating Disorder”)

Without Zeffirelli’s miniseries, without Blue-eyed Robert Powell, getting my attention as that five-year-old girl back then, the connection and reality of Jairus’ Daughter to my eating disorder struggles and ultimate Salvation rededication could not have happened.

The Most High uses whatever He pleases.

It’s one of His “M.O.’s”

And that leads me to the donkey.

 “When He had said this, He went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.  And it came to pass, when He drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mountain called Olivet, that He sent two of His disciples, saying, ‘Go into the village opposite you, where as you enter you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Loose it and bring it here.’  And if anyone asks you, ‘Why are you loosing it?’ thus you shall say to him, ‘Because the Lord has need of it.’

So those who were sent went their way and found it just as He had said to them.  But as they were loosing the colt, the owners of it said to them, ‘Why are you loosing the colt?’

And they said, ‘The Lord has need of him.’ Then they brought him to (Yahshua) Jesus. And they threw their own clothes on the colt, and they set (Yahshua) Jesus on him.”

Luke 19:28-35

Donkey, colt, Blue-eyed, British actor, little girl fairytale pink dreams. He will use any of it. All of it.

HE WILL get our attention.

And HE WILL NOT BLINK.

Copyright © 2025 by Sheryle Cruse