Blood People

"Dia, What are you doing? Dia! Look at me, look at me. What are you doing? You are Dia Vandy, of the proud Mende tribe. You are a good boy who loves soccer and school. Your mother loves you so much. She waits by the fire making plantains, and red palm oil stew with your sister N'Yanda and the new baby. The cows wait for you. And Babu, the wild dog who minds no one but you. I know they made you do bad things, but you are not a bad boy. I am your father who loves you. And you will come home with me and be my son again." Blood Diamond (2006)

If you have not seen Blood Diamond, the foregoing dialogue comes from a powerful scene where Solomon Vandy (Djimon Hounsou) tries to convince his young son (Kagisa Kuyers), who has been brainwashed by a local warlord, to put down his pistol. Solomon is successful through reminding his son of his love for him and just who he is, and hence bringing him back to reality.

I was reminded of this scene as the pastor preached on 1 Peter 1-2 this morning: "Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,To those who are elect exiles of the dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father,in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you." (ESV)

Like Vandy's young son, we often need to be reminded of who we are in Christ - a covenant child, heir to the promises, purchased with his son's precious blood, predestined to be his. The apostle Peter opens his first letter accordingly. Only when we know who we are can we truly respond, albeit not perfectly, in love and obedience to our Lord.

How quickly we forget...