Saturday, March 11, 2006

Get Busy Living and Get Busy Dying!


Blessed Lenten tide. While at the "Logical" Seminary in Fort Wayne, I had Professor Donald Deffner (may his soul rest in peace) for a Christian Education course. While not agreeing with him on some issues, I did appreciate his interest in finding Christian themes in movies, music and entertainment. In fact, I drive my wife crazy finding Christ in everything I see. So much of what poses as entertainment today is horrible. Down-right evil, really. Occasionally, something that comes down the pike isn't half-bad. One such movie that has many themes that coincide with the Christian faith is Shawshank Redemption. The movie is full of vulgar language that would make a sailor blush; but, if one looks past that to the deeper meaning, it can point us to the cross. At one point in the movie, the main character Andy says to his friend Red. "It comes down to a choice really. Get busy living or get busy dying." For us, as we take up our cross and follow Christ, we do both really. In Christ, we get busy dying and get busy living in the waters of Holy Baptism. May we be brought to the cross and see there our Savior who died for us and for our salvation.