Surely, God created human beings with the genetic and emotional capacity for different personality types. Some would have sunny dispositions, others would be more concerned with what could go wrong in any given situation. Add sinful selfishness to the mix and now you have a range where people tend to distort reality to fit their grandiose plans or become certain their worst nightmares are inevitable.
So, there are many in this world for the whom ‘the glass is half empty’ and, like the fictional character of Eeyore, always have a dark rainy cloud following them around. They may have a tendency towards reacting negatively before assessing a situation.
There are also those who suffer from depression, anger or paranoia. Whether it’s a chemical imbalance in the brain, a warped personality trait or the result of continued abusive trauma, these people see darkness all around. They see it in themselves, they see it in the headlines, they see it in the face of every person they meet. It’s a hard life to live and often they know of no alternative to it.
It’s this negative range of the spectrum that I’ll call ‘the dark side’ using the concept so well known from the Star Wars movies. They aren’t necessarily bent on evil as Darth Vader was, but the darker feelings of our soul tend to dominate them, and they see things through that dark mask they feel they must wear to live and breathe. If you’ve known someone like that you too may feel that ‘there is still good in them’ but find it hard to draw out any positive words about their life or their future.
What do people who live with the dark side think of the Bible? The bible is filled with messages of forgiveness and in the end the real ‘Dark Lord’ gets vanquished and locked up forever while those who are filled with faith, hope and love live happily ever after. But if you’re the kind of person who finds it hard to trust others, has no hope for the future or any love for humanity, what value would you find from reading what used to be called ‘the good book’.
As it turns out, the bible’s message can have meaning for those on the dark side. In fact, it may be the only lifeline they have in a future that seems meaningless from their point of view. But the passages that inspire/rescue them may be different than the ones others enjoy because they ‘hear’ the word of God differently than most.
They do have on advantage when it comes to bible reading. The passages that talk about personal and human sinfulness ring so true to them. The mistakes made in scripture by both believers and unbelievers make total sense and people on the dark side can easily imagine the underlying causes behind those mistakes. What should also be an advantage is the bible’s message that people can’t save themselves and are totally dependent on God for salvation. It’s just a difficult message to comprehend when your mind tells you that no one is worth saving in the first place.
This collection of devotions is meant to appeal to those living on the dark side and inform/remind them that God’s view of life is the one that counts. Just as we all fall short of the glory of God we all, with our different personalities and weaknesses, are rescued from what the apostle Paul described as ‘this body of death’. May God bless this effort.
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