Teachings from Star Wars
I just love Yoda. At first glance you'd think he was a creepy little weakling of a creature, but, upon getting to know him you find he's a powerful 900 year old Jedi Warrior who's given his life to know the ways of the force, train future Jedi, and fight for peace, happiness, and balance. He also devoted much of his teaching to warn against being seduced by the dark side of the force-- "if down that path too long you go, forever will it dominate your destiny."
A favorite past time of mine is comparing movies to the gospel of Jesus Christ, and real life. Star Wars is perfect. It brings out, as accurate as any story, the good and the evil. It's what makes the movie great.
But, in real life, it hurts to the core to see so many children of God choose the dark side. But it's a choice! We learn this from the very beginning (Genesis chapter 3.) Eve and then Adam chose to partake of the forbidden fruit or, in other words, chose to accept Satan's enticing. They learned of good and evil, and with that knowledge they became aware of their being naked before God. (This meaning of nakedness before God was not indicating without clothing, rather their undisguised, bare, and exposed nature before God.)
Satan surely jumped on the moment, and told them to go cover themselves from God, and hide from him. So it is with all of Adam and Eve's posterity. Satan seduces them to leave God and partake of his dark ways.
Yoda, struggled to see through this trend of the world, (in his case, many star systems,) and fight for right, but the shroud of the dark side made it difficult for him to do so. It is no different now.
Prominent on our minds are all those who have been seduced by Satan, and are adopting traits of anger, aggression, hatred, lies, deceit, thievery, and murder. Absolutes: all is lost, and, there is no hope for me. Loss of faith, no hope and so on.
Children of God are being killed because of their faith in Christ. Others are killed because they won't denounce their savior. And closer to home . . . The hopelessness, lies, thievery, deceit, murder, and so forth that is taking place among us. Depression and suicide are rampant. Every attempt from many of our leaders are making efforts to lengthen us from Christ, and adopt a transformation of our religious beliefs. Even our universities and schools teach much less of Christ. Rather they endeavor to carefully persuade us into the ways of the world.
Now is the time mentioned in scripture where the Devil will unleash all his fury. But then . . . the end cometh. This is my favorite part. It's like we have a DVR. It's already recorded throughout scripture. We know the ending! Just like in Star Wars, the good triumphed over evil, so it is with our Heavenly Father's Plan.
Consider the blessed and happy state of those who choose to follow Jesus Christ. They are in the world, but not of the world, and . . . it isn't easy. Heavenly Father wants his kids to come home strong, faithful, and valiant. But Christ will go before us. He will be on our right hand and on our left.
He is the good news! The good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people. He is the creator (John: 1:1-3,14.) He is our advocate with our Father in Heaven, our Savior and Redeemer. The joy and happiness will be ours until it overflows. The very spirit of God will burn within us as a fire. How blessed the day when we see him again, having chosen the right path. For he will say, "well done," and wrap us in his arms of mercy and love, and we can drop to his feet and bath them with our tears.
At this Christmas Season we remember this little child born in Bethlehem, and we remember him as he is now, "Lord of Lords, and King of Kings." In doing so, we renew our commitment and courage, our faith and hope, and our love for him who has given everything he is for us. Merry merry Christmas everyone.