Monday, February 5, 2018
Share each other’s burdens, and in
this way obey the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2(NLT)
In 1999 Steven King’s story debuted as a movie
called The Green Mile. The story is about a man wrongly-convicted of
murder, and his last days on death row. If
you’ve never seen the movie I’ll try not to be a spoiler, but this tale is of
redemption and finding compassion on Death Row.
John Coffey is condemned to die and the chief security officer, Paul
Edgecomb (played by Tom Hanks) is convinced of Coffey’s innocence.
Another “Paul” who lived two thousand years before this time
laid-out for us in one sentence what it took Steven King’s story 3 hours to
present as a drama – we should help each other bear the troubles and trials
that would destroy us.
Throughout the story John Coffey does just that. He is supposed to be a cold-blooded murderer
of two pre-teen girls, but every time he is in the presence of someone else’s
trouble he takes it back (supernaturally) as his own. Of course King’s character is a type of Jesus
Christ who bore the sins of all humankind on the cross.
He
personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to
sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed. 1 Peter 2:24(NLT)
Paul Edgecomb has experienced the healing power of John
Coffey taking the guard’s trouble, relieving him of
excruciating pain. And Paul’s quandary is
that he must now strap that gentle giant into Ol’ Lightning, the electric
chair, and give the order to kill him.
Here is part of the dialogue as the
execution draws near:
Paul Edgecomb: On the day of my judgment, when I
stand before God, and He asks me why did I kill one of his true miracles, what
am I gonna say? That it was my job? My job?
John Coffey: You tell God the Father it was a
kindness you done. I know you hurtin' and worryin', I can feel it on you, but
you oughta quit on it now. Because I want it over and done. I do. I'm tired,
boss. Tired of bein' on the road, lonely as a sparrow in the rain. Tired of not
ever having me a buddy to be with, or tell me where we's coming from or going
to, or why. Mostly I'm tired of people being ugly to each other. I'm tired of
all the pain I feel and hear in the world everyday. There's too much of it.
It's like pieces of glass in my head all the time. Can you understand?
Paul Edgecomb: Yes, John. I think I can.[2]
The story’s main message for me is that one can begin to
understand the healing power of compassion only when one has experienced it
firsthand.
And that is why the cross is meaningful only to those who
truly believe and are converted to Christ.
For You Today
Let me allow John Coffey to have the last word; as he asked
Paul:
Can you understand?
You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road…have a
blessed day!
