Off the Beaten Path

I went out looking for the elusive black sand beach that's somewhere between Mahaiula's and the airport. I set out on my mountain bike down an extremely bumpy road and across pahoehoe lava. When I got hot and tired I continued the search in the Jeep. Where the heck is that beach? I went 1.4 miles which is all the way to the airport fence. No beach.

The Passion of the Christ
Friday night I watched the Passion of the Christ on the lawn of Living Stones Church. I promised never to watch that movie again, but I was flattered by the invitation and I didn't know of anything else going on for Good Friday. I was impressed by their sound system and two clever church members who took the back seat out of their Jeep to use as a couch. I can't say the movie impressed me, however. It's just a bloodbath- half the Roman Army beating on a guy until he finally dies. Most Christian movies are low budget, cheesy and in my opinion an embarrassment to Christians everywhere. This movie actually had a budget and talent, but it failed to tell a story. Who is Jesus? Why did he die? This movie doesn't explain the Gospel message, and that's disappointing. (For an explanation of why Jesus died, click here.)

I can't be too disappointed, however, in any experience, movie or otherwise, that reminds me of my Lord. Here was a guy who truly traveled off the beaten path. Here's a God who willingly left his heavenly home to walk planet Earth for 33 years where he experienced every possible pain and hardship of the human condition. He did this out of his great love for us. And he teaches us to have that same unselfish love toward others- even our worst enemies. These ideals seem so foreign and impossible for us to attain. Yet I know the same Spirit that raised a dead body from a tomb on that first Easter morning dwells in us today, urging us to also live a different kind of life and to travel off the beaten path.