Life and LOST

I've been really frustrated with the final series of LOST that started in February. This is the season in which the writers are supposed to wrap everything up, to answer all the questions, to finally make it all make sense. But all they've done is created more questions and confusions. I've almost given up on it, but my husband keeps urging me to "keep the faith."

However, the last episode (spoiler alert) was a compelling tale of redemption. All of the characters right now are existing in dual realities. Each episode focuses on one particular character and allows us to see them in life on the island and in life is Oceanic Flight 815. Last week's episode was all about Benjamin Linus. On the island, he has been a leader--a devious one--but a leader nonetheless. In that life, he sacrifices his only daughter in order to save himself. In his parallel life, he is a powerless teacher--still devious. He has a chance to ruin the principal and take his job, but in order to do that he would have to derail the college dreams of his favorite student, Alex (his daughter in the island life dimension). This time, he sacrifices his own dream in order for hers to come true. Now it really didn't answer any of the BIG questions, but it was a nice story. And I almost missed it, because I was looking for answers to the big questions, not a tale of redemption.

It's a good life lesson for me. As I'm trying to make a go of it with this struggling little church, there are still not enough people in the pews or enough money in the bank. I can't seem to delegate out tasks and ministries like I should be doing, and there just don't seem to be enough hours in the day, even though I'm putting in a full-time week on a part-time salary. But instead of looking at the big picture, I should be paying attention to the tales of redemption going on all around this funky little historic church. People are finding a place to call home. People who have had no use for church in the past are starting to think about church differently. People are hearing stories from the Bible they've never heard before. People who have been shut out of churches in the past are finding a place to belong.

The writers of LOST have promised us answers. I'm going to believe them. The people who have kept First Pres going when every other church ditched downtown trust that God has plans for this church in this place. I'm going to believe them, too. I will continue to attempt not to measure success in BIPs (butts in pews), but rather look for DIFs (disciples in formation). It's all about the tales of redemption.