For the past couple of days I have been listening to an audiobook while I was driving to and from work. I love to listen to political thrillers and dramatic works while driving. The latest book that I have been listening to is “The Innocent” by David Baldacci. Baldacci is one of my favorite fictional authors and I tend to listen to everything that he writes.
During this latest novel I found myself wanting the warn the characters of trouble that they were getting ready to face. (That has got to be a sign of a good story when you connect with the characters in such a way that you want to offer them advice. Or maybe it just means that I am loosing my mind. I’ll let you choose.) Now you might think that this is weird but I would be willing to bet that you have experienced the same thing. Maybe it was in a theater, at home watching the television, or maybe sitting under a tree reading a book; but you have wanted to yell: “Watch out, don’t do it he’s got a gun.” Or in the case of this book “Don’t let her fool you, she’s up to no good” and then “I tried to tell you so but you wouldn’t listen to me.”
We are quick to offer counsel to characters in books, on the silver screen, or on television, but are we as quick to offer sage advice to those around us each and every day? As Christian’s we know the outcome of the final battle. Just as in a movie when we have seen the complete scene, we know how things are going to work out in the end. We know the consequences of our sins and we know that if we don’t accept the grace offered by God in the form of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on the cross then we will have to answer for those sins. We know that because of Him we are forgiven of these sins if we just accept this gift.
God did not leave us wondering how all of this would work out. He gave us the final chapter, he gave us the ending, he gave us the hope in eternal life with Him. However, along with that He gave us the responsibility to tell others of His plan. He expects us to let others in on our little secret. He expects us to yell out at the other characters in life “Watch out.”
Maybe it is because we know that the characters in the book or on the screen will not react to our warnings, not yell back at us, not criticize us for trying to help that we continue to yell at those fictional characters and offer them advice. Maybe it is because we know that those around us might not react in a positive manner that we don’t say anything to them. But maybe we need to realize that it is what God expects of us.
We have been given the ending. We know how the story ends. We know the outcome of the battle before it ends. And we have been given the responsibility to share this with others. Don’t you think that it is time that we stop offering advice to the characters on the screen and start spreading the Good News to those around us?
Do you offer advice to those on the screen?
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There are times I want to talk to the actors and say, "don't do that. You have no idea what the consequences will be someday", especially if it is a moral issue. But I find each time I do that it makes no difference.
It is too bad I can't be that crystal clear sometimes in my own life.
Yes it is harder to see past our own mistakes and flaws