Resolutions.

"The folksinger said his friend was performing a covert operation, freeing hostages from a building in some dark part of the world. His friend's team flew in by helicopter, made their way to the compound and stormed into the room where the hostages had been imprisoned for months. The room, the folksinger said, was filthy and dark. The hostages were curled up in a corner, terrified. When the Navy SEALs entered the room, they heard the gasps of the hostages. They stood at the door and called to the prisoners, telling them they were Americans. The SEALs asked the hostages to follow them, but the hostages wouldn't. They sat there on the floor and hid their eyes in hear. They were not of healthy mind and didn't believe their rescuers were really Americans.

The SEALs stood there, not knowing what to do. They couldn't possibly carry everybody out. One of the SEALs, the folksinger's friend, got an idea. He put down his weapon, took off his helmet, and curled up tightly next to the other hostages, getting so close his body was touching some of theirs. He softened the look on his face and put his arms around them. He was trying to show them he was one of them. None of the prison guards would have done this. He stayed there for a little while until some of the hostages started to look at him, finally meeting his eyes. The Navy SEAL whispered that they were Americans and were there to rescue them. Will you follow us? he said. The hero stood to his feet and one of the hostages did the same, then another, until all of them were willing to go. The story ends with all the hostages safe on an American aircraft carrier."

-Donald Miller, Blue Like Jazz.

As he his telling this story in his book, Donald Miller is explaining one of his epiphanies about why a story is structured like it is- setting, conflict, climax, and resolution. This story made a point about resolution.

If a story and its elements come from reality and our experiences, then resolution must be part of that as well.

We all want an ending. Most of us a good one- to end our story being successful with a family and enough money to care for them. Others, though, don't care, just that it ends. But either way, we look for resolution, for the loose ends to be tied up, however neatly, and the lights to dim as the curtain slowly closes.

We look for a resolution. We look for reassurance and a nod signifying everything will be just fine. We look for peace, a lot of times, maybe, in our own lives. We look for comfort, and sometimes, just for the world to stop spinning for a moment so we can catch our breath.

But we find ourselves in that filthy and dark room. But it all seems normal, like that's how the world is supposed to spin. And when Someone finally steps in, down from their throne, we're caught off guard and aren't sure what to do with what they're offering us. It's grace and forgiveness and a love that no one else could give, but we've never seen anything like it and quickly retreat back to what we know. But you see, He, the one who decided to step into our reality, just as quickly becomes what we are, human, and shows us that He can relate to us. As a light is shone on everything we've built our lives on, we realize that what we've believed in was never worth it.

He shows up, in the midst of the most painful faces, in some of the stangest places, hoping to offer us a resolution that is true and honest among something masked over as real and right.

kadi.




Skillet - Looking For Angels.