end of the spear

It's exciting to me that the Christian faith is being displayed on the "big screen" for all the world to see. First, The Chronicles of Narnia, and now, End of the Spear. (If you haven't seen Narnia, shame on you. GO NOW before it leaves the theaters!)

Growing up in church camp, we heard the story of the five missionary men who were speared to death in Ecuador, South America in the 1950's. They had been in the Amazon Basin with their families, and attempting to reach the violent tribe of the Waodani. The men flew into their village area and were attempting to communicate with the people in sparse, broken, Waodani phrases, and something went terribly wrong. All five of them were speared to death. Though they were armed with guns, they did not retaliate. The sacrifice of love didn't stop there, however. Rachel Saint, one of the men's sister, and one of the wives went back into the tribe and lived among the killers, leading the entire tribe to Jesus Christ and stopping the cycle of violence. It's an amazing story, and I hope I haven't ruined it for those of you who are not familiar with the story. Even knowing this much can not prepare you for the reality portrayed in this movie. The Gospel message is loud and clear.

Here are few things that I appreciated about this portrayal of Nate Saint, Jim Elliott, and the others:

-Even though it is set in the 50's, the missionaries were "real people". They laughed and played, loved-on their kids, got together to fellowship and dance and have a good time. Their love for Jesus and His purpose was evident, which made their love for the Waodani tribe more believable.

-The movie shows the thought patterns and struggles, and honest emotions of the tribe. Considering that some of the men who killed these missionaries are still alive, the film makers could use their "real life" stories and memories to portray what happened and why they attacked. It's not just all from the perspective of the missionaries, making the native people look like savages. It is true they were killers, and caught in a vicious cycle of revenge killing, but the deception of the Enemy is evident.

-This movie is not about sainthood or martyrdom. Their martyrdom is valid, but the story is about the miracle of how the love of God can transform a heart and life so completely that it is no longer recognizable. It is proof that loving God and loving others really does bring peace. This is the model He tried to give us with the Commandments in His Word -- a picture of how He would treat us, how to love unconditionally and place others above our own selfish desires. Ideally when this model is followed, there is peace. I believe that the harder people try to push God out of the picture, separate Him from "the State", compartmentalize Him in the world, the further we get from true peace. End of the Spear is an example of what it means to do things "God's way" and the success that comes from it.

I hope you'll see this movie. Not because the Christian groups want you to help make it a success at the box office, but because it will change you life. May the Lord strengthen your resolve, and establish a foundation of Love in your heart that will change the world.