Film Friday Reflection: Three Billboards outside Ebbing Missouri

There are a few surprising happenings in this bitter, brutal film about a mother crying out for justice. Not least when the local advertising guy, Red Welby, finds himself in the next hospital bed to the wayward cop who beat him up. Part way through their conversation Red offers the badly injured cop a drink, and fetches him an orange juice with a straw turned towards him to make the drinking a little easier. A small yet tender offering in this dark tale. I’m reminded of the saying about the light shining brightly in the darkness, the acts of tenderness and compassion are unexpected here and stand out all the more against the stark backdrop of trouble and anger. We have recently celebrated Christmas, in a season of short days and long dark nights. And though the baubles and glitter are most prominent, it is of course a celebration of light breaking into the darkness. Not with Marvel superpowers, but in a profoundly small, tender and vulnerable way. The tiny light of God, needing feeding, clothing washing and loving. The kind of light that will never shy away from the darkness. On a personal scale or global one. An inextinguishable candle. The kind of light that knows struggles and troubles. Plunged into our difficult world.
Dear Lord, you know better than us how dark the world can seem at times like this. Please help us to be a part of shining your light to help others, in Jesus’ name, amen.

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