'FOUR WALLS'

‘FOUR WALLS’ 

    

  I find the 2014 ‘Superman Unbound’ cartoon particularly interesting and relevant to this article. Brainiac is strong (anyone who puts up a fight with Superman is) and has conquered planets including Krypton. He has salvaged knowledge and civilization across all the planets he plundered. However, Brainiac has one weakness- he is bereft of any sense of life and nature. He doesn’t know the world. He maintains his strength and shape as long as he remains or stays in his ship. Everything about him is integrated into the ship; he is part of the ship and the ship is part of him. Brainiac was ultimately defeated by Superman when the battle was finished in Earth’s arena.

     The church has become a bunker of safety for people like Brainiac; a fortress from all the attack of a hostile world. Here, there is order and decorum; the inmates are decidedly sane and too pious for an uproar. ‘The devoted’ are working their hearts out to preserve the legacy of their lord. They are contending for the faith. And yes, they are bereft of life and are irrelevant. The safety here is pleasant, even desirable because it obliterates the propensity of casualty. But outside the four walls is a world dying and bereft of light.

    Let’s flip the pages to some two hundred years ago. I know of fellows like Rebecca who was a judge to God’s people, David ruled as king, Joseph an astute administrator and what about Daniel the bright captive who through his dedication and godliness wrought miracles? What about Luke the physician, or Paul the tent maker? Their faith was out there alive and proficient. I thought that was where it is needed the most.

This is a line I got from the movie ‘facing the giants’, after a question was asked if God cares about football? The answer from the coach was stunning: “I think He cares about your faith, He cares about where your heart is. If you live your faith out in the football field, then yes, God cares about football because He cares about you”. But in our fortresses, we are better off with the saintly meetings, the solemn assemblies; hanging unto the preacher’s every word. And that’s where it all ends, in the four walls.

      Outside their four walls, there are no pulpits, no angelic singing, and no order; only flying daggers and cursing lips. So, they slip back instinctively like a snail into oblivion. Evil, corruption and unwholesomeness thrive here. It lives here. But isn’t where our faith is needed the most?