I Find Your Lack Of Faith Disturbing
The first time I saw Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, was in 10th grade at my friend Liz’s house. She couldn’t believe I hadn’t seen any of the Star Wars movies yet, and set to work showing me at least one of the originals before we ended up seeing Revenge of the Sith in theaters (which I agreed to go see with her, regardless of not having any other knowledge of the series).
Now, something you need to know about me: when I watch a movie or read a book, I almost always find a way to humanize the villain. Even at their worst moments, I’m the one rationalizing their past, trying to account for why it is they’re doing such awful things, while everyone else is just content to watch and hate them, as they’re meant to be hated. The same is true for Darth Vader.
He came from a humble background, and was trained by the Jedis themselves. When the combination of power and anger and loss was too great, he turned to The Dark Side, a place that – symbolically – we have all been at one point or another, whether we are willing to admit it or not. I know that I’ve been there time and time again. The Dark Side doesn’t have to mean mass murders and controlling armies (though it does in the case of Darth Vader), but it could be any place where you allow loss and anger and the darker parts of yourself have control over what is light and good. Your own personal Dark Side, a hole you dig deeper and deeper into until someone shows you that light of hope again, that glimmer of a possible redemption.
For Darth Vader, even after ordering the elimination of entire planets and the killing of countless people, Luke saw the possibility for redemption in his father. He offered him that light of hope, asking for his help, turning away from The Dark Side claiming to be a Jedi, just like his father. And when it mattered the most, Darth Vader sacrificed himself to save his son in an act of redemption that would live on in infamy.
That moment never would have happened if Luke had turned away from his father in shame, had denounced his name and pushed him farther into the darkness. Instead he offered forgiveness, he offered faith and that chance at redemption, a chance that was not only taken but lived out to it’s fullest.
You never know when you’ll be the one to offer that chance to another, a chance that may make or break them. Forgiveness is difficult. Giving that second chance, especially if the hurt and broken trust from the broken first chance is still fresh, but that may be when redemption is the most needed – when we find ourselves the least ready to give it.
insidescomingout 
Wow. Great post. You are right. It all did hinge on Luke giving the second chance. So often we think of our personal villains as not even caring if we give them a second chance or not. But what if that second chance would make all of the difference and we don’t give it? I’ve got to go think about that.
This is a great angle to this week’s Never Beyond poster. I love how you say, “The Dark Side doesn’t have to mean mass murders and controlling armies (though it does in the case of Darth Vader), but it could be any place where you allow loss and anger and the darker parts of yourself have control over what is light and good.”
It’s so true, no one has ever been completely good. I mean, even in Star Wars, Luke himself is tempted by the Dark Side. We all have a past, no one is perfect, except for Jesus who saved us from our sin. And here’s the funny thing, Jesus was ALSO temped to join the Dark Side by Satan. That’s what I talk about in my post for this week.
But I really like the way you put this. All of us have something dark in our past, and a lot of people are still going through it. Jesus is the Light that will lead us to Himself and the grace and forgiveness He offers.
Awesome post, thank you for sharing it with us.
Andrew
So true Andrew. It’s amazing how when we (I) screw up, I cry out for grace. But the minute someone hurts me, I scream for justice. No one is good, not one. Thank God for his grace towards us (me) and others.
Nice post! I like how you draw the themes of sacrifice, faith and redemption out of the movies. You’re right, it all hinged on Luke being willing to give his dad a second chance and extend grace despite his actions.
Great post! You are so right about Luke. I think sometimes we spend so much time on dwelling on what the person did to us and don’t realize the greater outcome of forgiveness.
“Giving that second chance, especially if the hurt and broken trust from the broken first chance is still fresh, but that may be when redemption is the most needed – when we find ourselves the least ready to give it.” This is a great line. We all have a past and when we realize that we are all broken and struggling, I think grace means that much more.
“While nothing is easier than to denounce the evil-doer, nothing is more difficult than to understand him.” – Fyodor Dosteyevsky
Nice post and nice blog, Erica! Reminded me a little bit of this TED Talk from TEDxPSU if you’ve never seen it: http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/sam_richards_a_radical_experiment_in_empathy.html
Hi Erica,
I loved your post! I think you nailed it – we most often need to show grace to others when we are least prepared to actually do so. I know this is extremely true in my life. Thanks for giving us all something to think about!
Angela
Awesome, really captures being POTSC!
This Never Beyond poster series is shaking things up the right way for all the right reasons.