Movie Review

The other night I went to see The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, a British film based on the novel by Irish author John Boyne. I highly recommend that you go see it in the theater.

I came away realizing how relevant to us this film is as well as the time period that it depicts. How many holocausts are occurring around the world at this very instant, and how much do we choose to ignore? How often are we taught lies that are guised as common sense?

Each of the characters conformed to their expected roles -- all except for one character, an eight year old boy, who wasn't consciously standing up against discrimination or stereotypes, but rather acting out of love. He demonstrates the essence of friendship to someone who is meant to be his enemy.

Watching films like these often makes we wonder which character I would be if I lived during that time period: would I think for myself, or would I let others think for me? Would I stand on truth or would I buy into the lies? Perhaps I AM in that situation, and I don't have the clarity to understand it. God, open my eyes to the justice that you desire. I want to better understand what it means to be a minister of reconciliation.

"For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life." (Romans 5:10).