In the 80's, I decided to see what the slasher movies were all about. I wanted to see why everyone liked them so much. I found myself in a seat to watch Friday the 13th.
Pretty quickly I saw a lot of blood and a lot of people being mean to each other on the screen. I didn't see the entertainment in it. The storyline was simple. The jump scares got me every so often. But really it was just a gore fest.
As I sat there watching, my fear started to build. But it wasn't the movie. It was the audience around me. They were cheering the killings and laughing at the damage the killer was doing. I was trapped in a large room with people living vicariously as a serial killer.
This week I had a familiar feeling when Charlie Kirk was shot on campus in front of hundreds of students. My social media feed was full of reels of the killing. It was a senseless destruction of a person made in the image of God. He was a person who was not afraid to speak up about what he believed. He was silenced.
Very quickly the social media audience reacted. There was a lot of shock and sorrow. But what is most horrific to me is the celebration of death. The blatant parading of glee at a shocking murder.
This isn't a movie. This is a real life. I fear the enemy is outside the theater now. Pray dear reader that you do not become numb to the tragedy that feasts on the fear of the audience. Do not let Fear win.
Jesus, come soon.
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:12
Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” Romans 12:19
