The passive, yet jovial father (landlord Christie) walks alongside Joseph. He tells him he didn't know about the eviction, that he is sorry for the pain caused to his family, and he doesn't blame Joseph for wanting to kill him.
During a life and death situation, Landlord Christie makes cordial small talk: "You had a good breakfast this morning, did you?" Joseph responds, "It was grand sir." He continues to express his sentiments in the heavy morning fog as he paces with him all the way up to the dual line before disappearing.
It occurred to me...isn't the personality of Landlord Christie the same voice of religion devoid of power?
Religion will give you small talk. In the midst of a battle, it will speak to you in your ear about anything and everything. It will speak to you about your past, about your problems, your situation, and your mountain. Religion is completely devoid of any relevant power, or life-changing application. It pollutes the air with vain repetition.
Religion will pity you, but not empower you. If there was a holiday set aside in honor of pity parties, religion would be the smiling hostess at the door. Ah...Are you angry? Bitter? Scorned? I don't blame you a bit...Come on in, lay down in your misery until bedsores form. I will make it so comfortable for you. Many times people mistaken pity for compassion. However, Jesus did not pity anyone. His compassion is what healed the afflicted.
Religion will disappear when the battle begins. When the pistols start firing, religion will reveal its true cowardly nature. 2 Timothy 3:5 warns of those "Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
The enemy will masquerade as your landlord...one that will try to make you "pay" for your shortcomings, your mistakes, and your sin. If you believe he rules over you, he will evict you and burn your house. You may think you are on a revenge mission to recover what he has taken from you. He will challenge you to battle him, and make an appointment with you for a pistol dual. If you do not let God avenge your enemies in any area of your life, you will entertain the voice of powerless religion...and become easily angered and offended and think you are entitled to feel that way. Religion will lead you to believe that your performance or lack thereof will be the determination of the outcome. But when you are ARMED with the full armor of God, you will see that there is no ground level warfare...no eye for an eye...Only grace...where you freely receive and freely give what is not earned or deserved so you can walk uprightly. Only grace, where you are seated in heavenly places far above principalities, and the enemy is not "soldier toe to solider toe", but rather a defeated foe under your feet.
Romans 12:19, "Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, says the Lord."
Interestingly enough, in the movie, Joseph learns from landlord Christie's free-spirited daughter Shannon, that is plenty of land in America. All they had to do is claim it!
Shannon: They got so much of it (land), they give it away for free.
Joseph: (skeptical) No land is given away...in any part of the world.
Shannon: In America it is...and I'm going there.
Don't believe the lie that you have to fight an enemy to secure something that is already rightfully yours. All you have to do is claim it!
