This is the question raised by Elijah Price in the movie, Unbreakable. It’s the pivotal question of the movie. And it’s answer drives everything in the story.
Early in the movie, we learn that Price was born with brittle bones ... bones that break very easily. Because he was so breakable, other children yoked young Elijah with the moniker, “Mr. Glass.” His affliction fills him with fear; fear that all the pain, all the surgeries and hospital stays, all the casts and metal pins in his bones, may be all for nothing. That he may just be so afflicted for no reason whatsoever.
So he asks the question: “Do you know what the scariest thing is?” And he also supplies the answer: “To not know your place in this world, to not know why you're here.”
In this week’s Samuel passage, God set David on the throne of Israel. He did it in such a way that there could be no doubt on anyone’s part. David knew his place in this world.
In the Ezekiel passage, God made Ezekiel a prophet. He did it in such a way that no one, least of all Ezekiel, could ever doubt he had been sent by God. Ezekiel knew his place in this world.
In the Corinthians letter, the Apostle Paul explained that he accepted God’s imposition of a “thorn in the flesh.” It showed everyone that God had extended His grace to a flawed vessel, that God’s grace was enough. Paul knew his place in this world.
And, finally, in the Mark passage: Jesus, on a visit to his hometown, had a shocking encounter with the life He could have had. He was forced to deal with an inability to do at home the kinds of amazing miracles he had done everywhere else. As a result, He turned away from His hometown and headed off to carry the good news elsewhere ... somewhere people were more receptive to His message.
Jesus knew his place in this world.
In the movie, Elijah Price shapes his life around a vision of who he might be, a vision he formed in isolation. In our examples this week, each person was open to God’s leading and instruction concerning who and what he was. Sure, they experienced fear in their lives, but not a fear of what purpose they served in this life. Each knew his place in this world.
The scariest thing is not the conclusion reached by Elijah Price —though it could be ... if you pursued the answer in isolation.
The scariest thing is to live your life without God in it. Your place is with Him.
_________________________
PHOTO (and more about the movie, Unbreakable):
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0217869/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
_________________________
READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK
Proper 9 (14) (July 8, 2018)
https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu//
2 Samuel 5:1-5, 9-10
Psalm 48
Ezekiel 2:1-5
Psalm 123
2 Corinthians 12:2-10
Mark 6:1-13
_________________________
How was July 4th for you? I hope you were able to have time to celebrate and recreate some. We continue to meet DaySpring’s Lectionary Breakfast Friday mornings at the Waco “Egg and I” Restaurant. Join us at 8:00 for an hour of food, fellowship, and scripture.
Blessings,
Steve
No comments:
Post a Comment