234 – Can You Be The Man in the High Castle?

#faithbites #faithjourney Castle

Today’s #faithbite isn’t the one I was originally going to write, but sometimes I just feel the spirit and tweak it a bit. As a Pastor once told me, the sermon’s he thinks he writes the best are the ones that flop and the ones that just flow work. Call it the Spirit. And now, onto #Faithbites.

The Man in the High Castle: Good or Evil

I love science fiction shows, books, movies, debates and more. They give me the opportunity to think about what could have been or what may be yet to come. I am enamored with a show called “The Man in the High Castle” on Amazon Prime. It is based on a book by Philip K Dick. Without any major spoilers, the story is what would happen if the Allies lost World War II. The United States is split in three. The west coast is the Pacific States of Japan, the East Coast and most of the Midwest is The Greater Reich, and the Rocky Mountains are the Neutral Zone. In the show, there are these tapes that show a different world, a world where the Allies won. Each region has developed very differently than today with racial lines drawn, different foods, cultures, eugenics, resistance, dictatorships, second-class citizens, and more. To say this is heavy material is an understatement.

You may ask, why I would watch something that is so heavy, so difficult to comprehend. The reason for me is simple: No one is truly good or bad. In the show, people you think are bad do some good things. Did you ever think you would root for a Nazi? Well, you may. Did you ever think the resistance to this evil could be bad? Well, it may be. Did you think the Japanse would only be harsh and brutal? Maybe not always.

The second part that touched me is the Man in the High Castle himself. Think about what you would do if you could see what may happen or what happened in an alternate universe. What would you do?

Scripture about Good and Bad

• Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! – Isaiah 5:20
• The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. – John 1:5
• Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. – Psalm 34:14

Reflection

The three verses I selected may not seem to be related. When I searched for verses this time, I was looking for something that mentioned both Good and Evil as well as us needing to make a choice on what to pursue. Like the characters in The Man in The High Castle, they are all looking out for the best for their families, their friends, and their countries. That is why the line between right and wrong, good and evil is so very murky. I believe that is what I like about it so much.

Life is just like that.We do bad things to help people which we think is Good. We try to better ourselves at the expense of others, even if it is indirect. We sin when we think we are making good choices. It’s what makes life hard. It is why so many people have trouble with the commandment of Love God and Love One Another. How do I show love to everyone at the same time?

I’ll leave you with two tips. If your center is in Jesus and you read his word for context, not just quotes, you will see his love. The second is if you are in doubt, then you probably aren’t doing what is good and right in his word.

Charge

Are you a good person or a bad person? Maybe a good person who does bad occasionally? Could it be that you are lost and trying to find out if you are good or bad? In those cases, read his word. Look to others to help you find his word. He will help you turn away from evil and do good.

Lord, I falter daily. I do what is bad when I am a good person. I try to help others but fail and end up hurting others. Help me be seen as a true believer in you and that shows in all my actions and deeds.