April 27th, 2012 by Kristi Stephens

“…I’m right here in District Eight, where the Capitol has just bombed a hospital full of unarmed men, women, and children. There will be no survivors… I want to tell people that if you think for one second the Capitol will treat us fairly because there’s a cease-fire, you’re deluding yourself. Because you know who they are and what they do.” My hands go out automatically, as if to indicate the whole horror around me. “This is what they do! And we must fight back!”

Mockingjay, page 99

In the last post, we discussed how Katniss struggled to determine if there were any “good guys,” even though she knew very clearly who the “bad guys” were. This knowing for certain that the enemy was evil seemed to give her clarity and purpose, even as she struggled to perceive what else was going on beyond her understanding.

We live in a day when so many struggle to understand the nature of evil. As we discussed in When You Don’t Know Who To Trust, no one is good but God alone. No one.

We all know that evil exists. Even those who most fervently cling to the belief that humanity is basically good and morality is relative know that so much of what goes on around us is terribly wrong. The problem is that in our confused state of mind so tainted and limited by sin we get disoriented – and instead of understanding that God is good and we are not, we begin to believe that we are good and God must not be for Him to allow such evil around us.

Many people even refuse to acknowledge our real enemy all together. They look at Satan as a fairy tale, an analogy. But we must know who the enemy really is.

“Who is the enemy?” whispers Haymitch.

“These people” – I indicate the wounded bodies on the square – “are not your enemy!” I whip back around to the train station. “The rebels are not your enemy! We all have one enemy, and it’s the Capitol!”

Mockingjay, page 216

We must correctly identify the enemy if we are to survive this battle for our souls. Ephesians 6:12 tells us that “our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

There is a battle.

There is an enemy.

Scripture tells us that God is completely holy, just, good, right, upright, compassionate, gracious, loving, full of truth, the only One worthy to reign. What do we know about Satan? He is a liar. A deceiver. A destroyer. One who attempts to supplant.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy ; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

John 10:10

Child abuse? This is from the enemy.

Scandal and corruption? This is from the enemy.

School shootings? This is the from the enemy.

As we look at the mess of our world we must see – God is completely good and created a good world. Satan’s rebellion, and our rebellion, have filled this world will death and destruction and chaos and murder and abuse and horror beyond measure.

THIS is the enemy. THIS is what he does.

In the battle raging in the arena of our lives, we must choose a side. There are no free agents. We side with the One worthy to reign over the world He created, or we side with his enemy. God is good, Satan is not, we are not. But He, in His great love and mercy, has offered us pardon for our treason by sacrificing Himself on our behalf.

He is not the enemy. Satan is the enemy.

Which side are you on?

You might be an ambassador to England or France
You might like to gamble, you might like to dance
You may be the heavyweight champion of the world
You might be a socialite with a long string of pearls

You might be a rock-and-roll addict prancing on the stage
You might have drugs at your command, women in a cage
You might be a business man or some high degree thief
They may call you doctor, they may call you chief

But you’re gonna have to serve somebody
Serve somebody
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody

-Bob Dylan

April 24th, 2012 by Kristi Stephens

“…for a moment I lie there, digesting what I’ve heard. Not only is Peeta with the Careers, he’s helping them find me…” – The Hunger Games, pg. 163

A recurring theme throughout the Hunger Games trilogy is Katniss not knowing who to trust.

She can’t trust her mother to care for her.

She doesn’t understand Peeta’s actions and motives.

She doesn’t trust Haymitch to be sober long enough to help her.

She clearly can’t trust the government, and never is sure what anyone in the Capitol will do to her or because of her.

She’s not even sure if she can trust herself.

We’re never quite sure if the “good guys” are really good, even when we know that the “bad guys” really are bad. Lines between good and evil, right and wrong, are blurry.

Betrayal is a common theme to our humanity. In the Garden of Eden, the moment Adam and Eve hear the sound of their Lord walking in the garden, they are prepared to quickly throw blame on one another. Their son Cain kills his brother Abel in cold blood. Joseph is thrown into a pit and sold into slavery by his own brothers. Aaron and Miriam (as well as hundreds of other leaders) rebel against their brother Moses’ divinely-appointed leadership. Saul turns on David and attempts to spear him to the wall, and then spends years hunting him like an animal. David’s own son later rebels against his father and declares himself king, along with support from some of David’s most trusted friends.

Traitors and backstabbers fill the pages of Scripture. And dare we not forget the member of Jesus’ inner circle who betrayed Him with a kiss.

We find this reality painted vividly around us in our broken world. Trusted religious leaders embroiled in disgusting scandal. Elected officials betraying the confidence of voters and abusing power to their own ends. Police corruption. School shootings. Sexual predators where you least expect to find them. And no doubt, every single one of us has felt deeply betrayed personally by someone we trusted and relied on.

I feel for Katniss – in a world of broken sinners, where even the good guys do bad things, who can we trust?

One of the haunting things to me about the fictional world of Panem is the lack of any external standard for what is right and what is wrong, outside of the moral impulses and loyalties of the individual characters. In a world where there is no God, everyone does what is right in their own eyes. There is no external moral compass to turn to when life gets muddy – those who hold the power determine the rules. Those caught in the crossfire in Panem feel that what is happening to them is wrong, but we find that when the “good guys” have a chance, they often make disturbing and abusive choices, as well. As Josh McDowell says, without an absolute standard of morality, “might makes right.”

In Mark 10:18, Jesus makes a statement that often hangs in my mind – “No one is good—except God alone.” Think about that. No one. Romans 3:23 echoes this statement – “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” No one is good. All have sinned.

If we are relying on human intellect – no matter how trustworthy it may seem – to determine what is right and best, we are in deep trouble. Only God is good. He is the only standard for what is good and right and true. Without Him we are lost on a sea of our own desires and twisted gut impulses.

In this broken world, we will be betrayed at some point. We will be lied to. Those we trust will abuse their power. But in my God and in His Word I find Truth that sets me free and gives me clarity. With my way illuminated by the Light of the World I can see. And when even the “good guys” do bad things and my heart is broken and bleeding, when I myself do bad things and leave others broken and bleeding, I cling to this – no one is good but God alone. The sinfulness of humanity has never tainted His goodness. He is good when we are not. And as Creator and Sovereign Lord of the universe, I can rest in His goodness when I don’t understand what is unfolding in the arena of my life.

He is the only solid rock on which to stand – all other ground is sinking sand.

April 23rd, 2012 by Kristi Stephens

Oh, Katniss.

Katniss Everdeen of the Hunger Games trilogy and I have spent some ridiculously late nights together lately. It seems that no matter how much the clock tries to pull me back to reality, it is not enough to make me be a responsible girl and put the book down and go to sleep. The pages just keep turning as time marches on. And I know I’m not alone!

What is it about Katniss, Peeta, Gale, and the other Hunger Games characters that so capture our imaginations and cause us to happily lose sleep? Why are we drawn to this strange storyline?

As the author herself observes, people identify with these books in a variety of different ways. The abuse of power, hunger and the lack of food, the influence of media, statements about reality TV and desensitization to violence, standing up against what is wrong – many themes stand out and cause readers to respond emotionally.

I’ve pondered this question since I turned the last page of Mockingjay, and my thought is this: we respond to Katniss because the questions she wrestles with are the questions we all face. What is the real nature of humanity? Can anyone be trusted? Is there any hope for us? Is there anyone who will truly love us unconditionally, even when they see what we’re really made of?

Even though the scenario is unusual, I think we resonate with Katniss because we have all found ourselves asking these questions in the arena of our lives. Wondering who will betray us. Wondering who will love us. Grieving the victims of senseless evil.

So this week, join me for some conversations with Katniss. Things I would love to talk with her about if she was a real person (and honestly – don’t we wish she was?).

We’ll provide the lamb stew.

April 8th, 2012 by Kristi Stephens

This weekend we had our fourth seder together with my parents and my sister’s family!

We were also blessed to have a special guest join us again this year – Elijah showed up!

We’re spoiled to have a family friend who has led many seders in the past and also has an extensive background in theater, so he joins us in full Elijah garb!

It was a wonderful time and we’ve thoroughly enjoyed celebrating our atonement and the resurrection of Jesus this weekend!

Perhaps next year in the New Jerusalem!