Author’s note: If you are new to my blog and are interested in reading the 23.xx series, I recommend you first read the 23.01 through 23.09 in order to an idea how I arrived where I am. Consider the points made in each article and maybe we can connect on shared spiritual lesson.
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A Lesson from Schindler’s Farewell Scene
There is a scene from the movie Schindler’s List that is a good example of how one is haunted by regret when worldly inhibitions are taken away, I often recall that scene as an exhortation.
It is an impactful scene. It is evening in his factory as the end of the war approaches. German officials must flee from the oncoming enemy forces. Oskar Schindler makes haste to leave with his few belongings to avoid capture from Allied (most likely Russian) forces.
As he walks to his car with his wife, followed by a small entourage of the Jewish workers, it is a moment of final instructions given to his trusted Jewish assistant walking by his side. These last instructions are meant to provide aid to the many workers, to better help their survival over the uncertain near future.
As they approach his car, the scene gradually opens to include more people standing respectfully along the sides of the their walk, until the frame finally opens to include the ranks of the over 1200 Jewish souls who Schindler rescued from the Nazi death camps.
Schindler had put himself at great risk to do what was right. The man who was the successful profiteer, the partier, the playboy, and Nazi Party member who grew to realize his influence, personal wealth, political connections and need for prison labor could be used as an opportunity to save lives of persecuted Jews.
The last moment before parting arrives and the two men stand face to face surrounded by all the people. The assistant presents to him with two specially made gifts. One is a document signed by all the people that would provide evidence of his good works should he become captured. The second gift is a ring formed by the Jewish craftsmen from the gold teeth of grateful volunteers. It is a small but selfless gift to the man they held in great esteem.
Schindler, in utter astonishment of the gesture, drops the ring and in a frantic moment recovers it. The moment overwhelms him, strips him of all pretense causing him to realize with a clear conscience the folly of material wealth in comparison to saving the souls of people. He tearfully laments, “I could have done more…I could have saved one more life.”
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We cannot pretend to measure the impact of a fully actualized conscience. The Bible teaches all who ever lived will face the Day of Judgment before a Holy, Just, and Righteous God. At that moment, all pretense will be gone. How does this impact your life purpose? Where do we as servants of the Lord Jesus Christ, as well as those who are not, find ourselves?
We condition ourselves with a lifetime worldly wisdom creating a sort of intellectual or philosophical rampart to fend off the need to do respond to the living God. We build these barriers that will flash evaporate faster than a dry leaf in a nuclear blast.
We will all stand as guilty sinners with an appointment with destiny the “appointed day on which [the Lord Jesus Christ] will judge the world in righteousness…” (ACTS 17:31) “…for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth – those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, the the resurrection of condemnation.” (JOHN 5:28-29).
With varying degrees of fear and trembling do we follow Christ’s Great Commission to spread the Gospel. In striving against our lack of faith in God’s provision and blessings, we strain against our old selves, biding our time as though we have an eternity to waste on procrastination.
“And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease, eat, drink, and be merry.” But God told him “Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?” (LUKE 12:19-20)
GET MOVING – TAKE ACTION
At least continue to lean towards the actions that will help sinners repent and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. In order to help catalyze your mind with action producing thoughts, feed on God’s inspired word at least daily.
To become like the Master, you must think like the Master and take on the same desires and will of the Master, otherwise you will succumb to the world, whose ways only become more evil. In addition, a believer in Christ must continue to fight the inner selfish propensity to ignore God.
To resist the temptations of life as well as falling away and backsliding in your faith, or to fool yourself by thinking that standing still is progress, you must keep on marching forward as a soldier under orders.
The situation is not unlike the the men trapped on Omaha Beach on D-Day: Move forward or die ingloriously on that beach. To cite another cinematic and real life example, consider the Band of Brothers when Lt. Speirs had to take command from Lt. Dyke who was unable to move Easy Company forward in the face of combat. Don’t freeze, don’t stay put, move forward, Advance!
Instructions come from the Lord through His word, “It is written, “… that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord.” (DEUTERONOMY 8:3).
“Thus says the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, nor let the rich man glory in his riches; But let him that glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight,” says the Lord (JEREMIAH 9:23-24).
FINAL THOUGHTS
If you haven’t figured it out already, in essence, I’m taking the time to write my own epitaph, now, while I still live with that sense of being able to enjoy a long life. What better thing to do that to get a head start instead of leaving someone else to deliver an incomplete message, as inspired though it my be?
I know very few people who can speak to my life as a Christian well enough to manage speaking at my funeral. If you think you are one, then bless you. These many blog posts are part of what I want to leave with the rest of my little corner of the world – its sole purpose is to help you or someone you know.
I pray, to move us forward to do what we can to live a life with as much a fully functioning conscience for God as possible, and let us not become naked in our sorrow and full of lament for what could have been.
The Apostle Paul was inspired by the spirit of God when he wrote:
“And I brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.” (1 CORINTHIANS 2:1-5).
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https://youtu.be/W9vj2Wf57rQ (Credit: Universal Pictures/Youtube.com)
CKY
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