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Death, Suffering and Community

At the core of every human being, there exists a desire to understand truth. How did I get here? What am I here for? Where am I going? Why? These questions take shape and form at any age. It’s evidence of the way God has designed to be. We are gifted with the ability to be aware of our existence. How can the human mind be in the past through memory recollection, in the present through the act of remembering, and in the future, using the power of situational analysis and hope? It seems there is more to us than just skin and bones.

The movie 50/50 that we have recently watched had asked some questions that we have asked all our lives. Why do we mask our emotions in the face of death? As humans living in a fallen world, we know that death exists. It is inevitable. It will find each and every one of us. But when a situation like cancer, a slow moving, harbinger of deterioration and death, affects someone of value in our life, we can sometimes pull up instinctive defense mechanisms to avoid the pain. We play it off as if it’s not that serious. We make jokes about it. We avoid time with that person or anyone affected so as to not be reminded of the scenario. In actuality, we are acting selfishly when those thoughts and reactions come up. The Bible tells us that as a body in the Christ, we are all members that are connected by His death and resurrection. If one of us suffers, then we all suffer together (1 Cor. 12:26). We cannot simply think of how someone’s pain will affect us. Rather we must think as a body, as a community, how can we see Christ in this situation? How can this situation bring glory to God? How can any healing and redemption come out of all of this?

All throughout the movie, we are invited to take a look at the community that surrounds Adam in the midst of his cancer. There was a sense of realism that enveloped the people. It was raw. There was no sugarcoating in their character flaws and shortcomings. Everyone that was important in Adam’s life had a shard of brokenness that the movie did not try to resolve. Instead they were held in front, at face value, coming into light as the movie progressed. There were conflicts and wounds that were exposed. But at the end of the day, through the conflict, through the uncomfortable awkwardness of human relationships, we can see the growth in each character. Their eyes were opened at least to some extent. They knew they had things that they needed to work on themselves. This is what community does. We are called to spend time with each other, confront one another in our blind spots, to laugh together and to cry with one another.

50/50 reminds us that death is real, humans are flawed but we were not meant to live without community. It is a movie that sufficiently beckons us to ponder the reasons of our existence, to appreciate the people around us and to face life in all its awkwardness and flaws. It’s not a perfect world. We are broken in and of itself. But going beyond the movie, we must remember that this is not it. This life is not the end of it. It is only the preparation of the things to come. As Christians, we look forward to the new heavens and the new earth, as we reside with Christ in our new bodies, devoid of pain, suffering, flaws or cancer. When we see Him in all His glory, all this will make sense.