To Shelter or Not to Shelter

  It has been a while since I posted anything on here, but I hadn't had any good topics ready to be typed. However, in the past couple of months, I watched a movie called The Village which got my wheels turnig. This was a well-done movie and I highly recommend it. Here is an outline of the movie, but it is copied right from the internet:

"An Amish-style community lives cut off from the outside world by the woods, in which they believe dangerous creatures exist. They have an uneasy truce with the creatures - if they stay out of the woods, they are left unharmed." 

I won't give any spoilers away, but I do want to talk about the worldview that was presented in this movie.

  The characters in this movie isolate themselves off from the world and its culture. They live and dress as if they were in the 1800s or as if they were Amish. They dress in very plain clothes with no color. The leaders of this group have isolated themselves and their families from the world because of bad things that have happened to them or people whom they loved. They think that isolation will keep them safe. However, as the movie plays out, they realize they are wrong. Isolating yourself from the world will not keep you safe because evil will seep in. 

 I love this movie because it has elements that are very similar to our culture today. Many people think that isolation from the world protects them from worldliness and evil, but evil is present, that is a fact. No matter how hard we try, we cannot shield ourselves completely from it. You think you can gather families and create a community apart from the world, think again! Do you think that you can go out and live in the boonies along with like-minded, frightened people and be safe from the world, think again! There is no possible way we can protect ourselves and our children from the evils that are in the world. The characters in this movie find out in an unfortunate way. 

  As Christians, we should not live in fear of monsters and dragons and isolate ourselves from the world, but we should be engaging and sharing the gospel in the world. The Bible calls us to teach our children about Christ. In Matthew 28:19-20, Christ tells us to go forth and teach all nations the gospel and baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. However, the Bible does not tell us to only teach our children about God, but we are called to teach and show the whole world, Christ. 

  So, are we to shelter or not to shelter ourselves from the world? Are we to hide away from the world because of the fear of dangerous creatures that are out there? Or are we to go forth in the world like George and slay the dragon? I am here to present the argument that we should not isolate ourselves from the world as the people did in the movie, The Village. To do this is opposite to the calling of a Christian. Let's not live in fear and worry, but in confidence in our Lord. 

Cheers,

Chloe