A friend of mine stopped me in the door to tell me that a group of people would be watching a movie in the fellowship room that evening. She invited me to join them. "A movie in the fellowship room" could range from something as ridiculous as The Men Who Stare at Goats to the intensity of Black Hawk Down.
This movie, however, was a different kind of movie watching experience. This was not just for escapism, but instead for spiritual growth and greater understanding of the spiritual realm. Furious Love is not propaganda; it is intentional.
One young man in the movie was describing a time when he was among refugees that were under persecution. Christians were being slaughtered left and right. He was afraid for his life, and he was asked to speak to those worshipping God in the midst of the most horrific circumstances. He didn't know what to say to them. He recounted the internal struggle of discerning what to say like this: "I felt because in a place like that you can't say cheap stuff. You can't just say, 'Just have faith. God will protect you...' after families are slaughtered. It's not that simple." I don't recall if he told us what he did say to them. I don't know if that is the point. The desperation of that moment speaks for itself. The depth of the assurance of God's pressence regardless of the brokenness and darkness of their current circumstances speaks more than anything this young man could have said.
Why are we satisfied with cheap stuff? Are those in persecution blessed to endure that kind of suffering? What would it take for the Western Church to be dissatisfied with cheap words? I don't have answers for these questions, but I am assured that these are the questions we should be asking.
http://www.furiouslovethemovie.com/
http://wanderlustproductions.com/
Soundtrack: Perseverance of the Saints, The O.C. Supertones
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