In Spite of Everything, God Loved Us Anyway

I have said and advocated time and time again that modern day society obtains their information from the sources that the older generation may deem unacceptable. What was once seen as entertainment is now seen front and centre as the first form of information that is learnt by the X and Y and maybe even the Z generation. Lives are changed because of a song, a TV show, or a movie. Lives are turned around, and Jesus is speaking through the things that matter the most to the younger generation, through these forms of entertainment. And now as I look at the two most watched new television series of the 2011-12 American TV season, I start to wonder whether it is by coincidence or not that these shows are starting to be embraced by the American population, and in a wider scale, the world.

Person of Interest on CBS was just recently renewed for a second season. Almost 15 million people every week watch this action thriller about a team, consisting of an ex- U.S. Army Special Forces soldier and CIA field officer, John Reese; and an isolated, withdrawn, extremely private billionaire software genius, Harold Finch, and their partnership in solving crimes that are about to happen in the city of NYC. It is a show that is beautifully crafted by JJ Abrams, the man involved in such TV series like LOST, Alias and Fringe. What I can see in this show, and I’m sure what other people see as well, is a man who is on a quest to write the wrongs in the society that is as fractured and screwed up as he himself is. John Reese is a man who goes by no rules to find the ‘person of interest’ and if these people are perpetrators or victims, he acts in such a way that the act of violence being committed by them or to them is stopped. Watching the show has led me to believe that Reese is some sort of vigilante and, in his own way, is speaking up and helping people that cannot help themselves because of the circumstances surrounding their predicament. He goes out of his way to maintain the peace and quiet of the New York City streets, and with the help of Finch, brings hope to the situations that he is in.

Once Upon a Time, airing on ABC and most likely to be renewed for a second season too, is a spin on fairytales that we have never seen before. Centred on Emma Swan, a 28 year old bail bondsman, this television series has her drawn into a tale of excitement, adventure and intrigue when her son that she gave up for adoption ten years earlier comes by unannounced and claims that she is the daughter of the fairy tale characters Snow White and Prince Charming. She is then introduced to the small, secluded town of Storybrooke in Maine, where all the inhabitants, according to her son, Henry; are in fact fairy tale characters. They are all in a haze, banished to the real world because of a curse enacted by the Evil Queen against Emma’s parents and the whole of the fairytale kingdom. Emma is then told by her son that she is the only person to awaken the whole town from the curse; sort of like a Saviour of sorts. All the people in Storybrooke are lost, having no memory of who they were and who they are meant to be, lost in a droning mundane existence, with none of their ‘happy ending’ that was given to each of them in their previous life. And as the episodes continue into the season, each of the characters in Storybrooke is explored, as well as their fairytale counterparts, and how and why the curse was enacted in the first place is brought to the fore. This show; along with Person of Interest, have excited me the most this TV season, and I truly believe that one of the reasons why both of these series are popular, is because society is learning as well as being entertained. Jesus is speaking through these shows, and we can definitely learn about the qualities and nature of God if we just stop, stand back and ask the Lord to reveal what He wants to say.

Everyone is in search of something to fill the whole that they have. Everyone has something inside of them that yearns and tugs at their very being. We all that inkling feeling, of sadness, guilt, the fact that we cannot save ourselves from this thing called ‘sin’, that we cannot go through life alone. We are in search of someone that will save us, physically, and indeed spiritually. Society may even go so far as to yearn for someone like an ‘Emma Swan’ or a ‘John Reese’ to turn their life around, just like how they do it in the TV shows. They look at their own life, the mundane existence that they live from 9 to 5 each day, how they just wake up in the morning and perform the daily grind, day in and day out, you may be forgiven if they start to think that they may feel like one of the people that live in Storybrooke. They watch the show, and see how Emma comes to the town and things start changing, and how hope is provided to the lonely people in the town; and think, ‘Gee, really wonder if there is something that could happen, here in real life, that could save me from this thing called life! I know there’s something better out there, but if only someone can show me!’ Everyone is definitely searching for a Saviour. Partly a reason why these two shows are popular (everyone wants a John Reese or an Emma Swan to help them, kinda like how all the superhero films are blockbusters), partly because of the entertainment factor, these two shows are providing a sense of hope in situations where there is none. They are ever reminding society, even if they don’t realise it, that there is in fact a Saviour here to help, that Jesus did in fact come to Earth, sought after us and indeed freed us. We just need to peel back the layers and ask the question: why? Why are these particular shows the most popular shows of the season? Are there some themes, like hope, justice, love, messages that the Lord Jesus Christ is trying to impart to society through these shows? Once we realise that Jesus is speaking all the time, once we step back from all the clutter and look at the bigger picture, we may be able to hear clearly what Jesus has been speaking to us all along.

God came down and became our Saviour. He loved us when we didn’t love Him at all. He loved us, though we may feel like He is more distant than we can remember. Even while we were turned our backs, He still came and suffered, like a man, even to the point when He was nailed to a cross. And He did it for us! That is a thought to think about. Let it sink in. In spite of everything, God loved us anyway. He loves us the way we are, so we can just come to Him like that, but He loves us too much to let us stay that way. We must remember that Jesus has our best interests at heart. He is completely invested in how we live our lives. When we didn’t love Him, He loved us anyway. That’s how much He loves us. And with that, let us all embrace and welcome the fact that these shows are doing well. Jesus is speaking, and let us pray that the world will listen!

Before I finish, let me pose a question? Are there any ‘God-themes’ in your TV shows that you watch? What is God teaching you in what you watch, listen to or hear on the radio?

Til next time,

Jon.