Well, now that we’ve made it past the end of the world—pat yourself on the back—an even more confusing season of lunacy draws near. The passion of apocalyptic sign reading that afflicts and affects us Christians about every ten or fifteen years or so, is today fading away in favor of another mind-numbing, life-draining effort: our search for the best sounding just-right political candidate. It’s going to get ugly.
You can see what’s happening: we’re turning from real life and true love found with Jesus and the gospel, which results in beautiful evidence and offerings to others of the same thing—life and love—because we’re drawn away by the entrancing scent of the rotten meat of politics. And we’re turning zombie.
For those who don’t know what zombies are, they are fictitious, lifeless and loveless, used-to-be-humans, who often gang-up together to overwhelm, feast upon and make converts of those who were before alive. In the movies featuring zombies, entire communities are converted; life and love vanish, except in those who are prepared. The survivors insist upon life—they fight for it—and they fight for each other. They cling to a new kind of family and wisdom, because know what life is and what it is not.
It matters how our government works and how it doesn’t. It’s important to know who people are that want to direct the affairs of our communities and nation and how they’re going to do it. I know. Really. But the smell of this world’s wisdom—here’s how to make things work—is not as enticing to me as it once was. Look, I’ve turned zombie in the past. I’ve gotten ugly. I’ve felt and behaved like the lifeless and loveless, walking dead, trying to convert anyone I could find with the wisdom of my argument. I also found the company of other zombies to do it with me. You know, Republican zombies trying to make converts, while Democrat zombies try to make converts. (Think of the political parties in your part of the world. Same thing, right?) It’s quite an ugly competition.
I can still get that beckoning whiff of political meat and become nearly convinced that it’s perfectly seasoned, filet mignon, with just a little pink in the middle. And I start to turn. “Come and get it, zombie breath!”
But I am not a zombie, and if you’re still reading this, you aren’t either. Life Himself has come to you, and He has made you like Himself—loving.
Since you and I are alive and not zombie, let’s watch over each other with the wisdom that comes from God, which has everything to do with His power and life for us: the gospel, the good news about Jesus for us. And, unlike in the movies, the gospel is the wisdom and power of God to convert zombies into fully alive, Spirit-born humans.
Listen to what Paul wrote to the zombie-wisdom threatened Corinthians:
1 Corinthians 1:20 Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. 22 Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
So if you’re looking for real wisdom and power, and if you’re looking to help others with real wisdom and power that brings and keeps bringing life and love, then speak Christ, write Christ, offer Christ, share Christ and news about Him, even in the midst of zombies. After all, the gospel is the power—the antidote—for them, too. And you will help keep us who are beleaguered by the wisdom of this world from turning zombie.
“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” Romans 1:18
(This is a transcript of yesterday’s video, “Turning Zombie,” and is for those who might rather read than watch. To see the video, click https://youtu.be/m1ctlhaXpJg, or just scroll down this blog. Photo is from https://www.flickr.com/photos/looking4poetry/, with text added.)
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