Another Brick in the Wall (8.17.14)

Two weeks ago Maranda and I rewatched Steven Spieldberg's Hook, one of my favorite childhood movies. And it was just as good this time around. Robin Williams captured both comedic and even dramatic roles in a way that few actors can. His improvisation ability is almost unmatched. And films like Aladdin, Mrs. Doubtfire, Jumanji, Patch Adams, and Dead Poet's Society were a big part of my childhood and teenage years. We are saddened by anyone's death, but I think a tragic end to a life of someone who brought so much laughter to others and seemed outwardly full of joy and life implants an even deeper sadness and shock within us. And it awakens a dark question in its aftermath -- How many people among my daily contacts are fighting depression or other internal enemies which have not surfaced on the external?

        I see a difference between DEPRESSION and DESPAIR. Depression is no respecter of persons. It, like rain or sunshine, can fall on the just and unjust. Some who have had extremely close relationships with God have dealt with very real depression, for there are numerous factors from genetics to diet to lifestyle to life circumstances. And it manifests itself in a variety of physical, mental, and emotional ways. The battle against depression is fierce, for its fortifications can run thick and the battle must be waged on multiple fronts -- most importantly, the battleground of the soul...for the soul is where DEPRESSION can decay into DESPAIR when the darkness engulfs it and chokes out the light.

But the Christian has more weapons at his disposal on the battlefield than the non-Christian: the fruits of love, joy, and peace from an indwelling Spirit (Galatians 5:22), a community of fellow believers who are there to share joys and sorrows and also struggle themselves (Romans 12:15), and more motivation for endurance because they see a bigger picture than what is going on in the moment(Hebrews 12:1-3). Now Satan will still work on us and try to hide those weapons from us and lead us down the road of despair. He blinds our eyes to the LIGHT (2 Corinthians 4:4) and therefore to HOPE. So one encouragement to those who struggle against this illness -- Keep the windows open. As dark as the pressure feels, your soul must still get light. That means not shutting out your friends, your daily activities, the community of fellow Christians, the Word of God, or the worship of the church. In Soren Kierkegaard's The Sickness Unto Death, he argues that the one at most risk for suicide is "the completely enclosed person" -- the one who, as in Pink Floyd's album The Wall, has brick-by-brick walled himself in with no windows to the light.

So Robin Williams should be a reminder of the plethora of reasons why Jesus told us, "You are the light of the world" (Matthew 5:14). Be the window in someone else's wall this week.  


To His Glory,
Caleb