Missionaries, Death, and Children

As I read through my Other Posts of Note today, three ideas came together: Abortion, The Hunger Games, and the blessing of children.

One of the horrors of The Hunger Games--which I have not read, but I did see the movie with friends--is the sacrifice of children. What a timely message: Children are desirable!

In fact, in the world portrayed in the movie, the only reason not to have kids is their potential inclusion in this horrible "game." No, it's not poor living conditions, or the uncertainty of having enough, or a desire to make something of oneself before settling down. Those are non-issues. What gives pause to having children is the fear that these kids will one day be sacrificed on the altar of entertainment and totalitarian oppression.

It's the hopeless meaninglessness of it all. That's the paralyzing fear.

But what do we do with totalitarian governments? How should we respond to cruel games that sacrifice their participants? What will we do when faced with a call for self-sacrifice? Are we clever and resourceful in the face of adversity? How will we stand out in this world, so our lives--and our deaths--are not meaningless?

These are questions explored in that story. But they aren't new. In fact, growing up on a steady diet of missionary biographies, my childhood was full of examples of men and women who have done all that and more! My mom has often said that she wants to give us real heroes to look up to. And the books that fill Sonlight's homeschool curriculum do just that.

Who's your favorite hero/heroine you've read about thus far?

 ~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Empty Nester