by Bryan Lowe
It’s amusing to see how thing get started. I’ve been hearing a lot about “zombies”. It’s crazy, but zombies are now suddenly vogue, and I’m sure they appreciate the publicity, having stalked the landscape for so long without any recognition at all.
But seriously, this new social focal point nails down a real issue: Passivity. I know its a leap, but it seems that that is a real issue in our society. The dictionary defines the word for us, as “the trait of remaining inactive; a lack of initiative.” We are often led to a place where we are to accept the status quo, and even see that as a healthy characteristic.
I see two areas of conflict we have with zombie-fication. One is spiritual, the other mental. Passivity in our Christian walk is quite dangerous. We begin to interpret life as something that acts on us, rather than acting boldly and with assurance, we let everything just roll over us. I’m thinking of Caleb, who in Scriptures is an old man (Joshua 14:11-12). Yet he “demands” to be given the top of a mountain which is under the control of fierce giants.
Such an attitude is not normal. I see Caleb as a florescent marker of the Spirit. You look through history and he sticks out, you can’t hide him. He doesn’t blend in and he certainly doesn’t drift into the cold dark night quietly. He shows up in Numbers 14:24, “But my servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit and has followed me fully, I will bring into the land into which he went, and his descendants shall possess it.”
Having a mood disorder like bipolar, passivity is brought to you on a platter. The meds are quite enough to mellow and control all your actions. (I believe in meds, btw). Spiritually, we suffer. It is hard for me to believe in God and worship Him if I have no initiative. I personally find a ferocious battle with myself when ever I try to move closer.
I want to close this out. I just want to point out this “zombie-ifcation syndrome” is real and that it often haunts us as mentally ill people. As a fellow believer in Jesus Christ I must resist and stand for Him. I need to be more aware of these issues, and not become part of the walking dead. Whatever it takes, I want to be alive. Being real, not sedated into a mindless stupor.
For more “Zombie fun” see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zombie
Broken Believers 