Film Friday Jimmy Erskine is a fierce film critic, one who pulls no punches in his reviews for the Daily Chronicle. When yet again, he critically assassinates the actress Nina Land for her latest performance she confronts him and demands an apology. Meanwhile Jimmy discovers his role as a critic at The Chronicle is under threat, if he does not tone down what he writes, he will be fired. So he manipulates Nina, and forces her to have an illicit relationship with the owner of the paper, David Brooke, so that Jimmy can use it to blackmail his way back into writing whatever he wants. This malevolent plan starts to spiral downhill pretty quickly. In Star Wars Yoda tells young Luke, ‘Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering.’ Certainly Jimmy here is driven by fear, the fear of losing his status and position at the paper. The strapline on the poster sums it up – Ambition seduces, power corrupts.
In the New testament, in chapter one verse 15 of his first letter, James tells us, ‘…evil desires lead to evil actions, and evil actions lead to death.’ (James 1 v 14-15)
The good news from God though is that Christianity is not primarily about the things we get wrong, but the love that God has for us and is expressed in the life of Jesus. Offering a way back from the things we do wrong. It’s the good news that God has opened the gates of heaven wide, good news that he has brought the kindness of heaven to earth, good news that he offers us, each day a new perspective, new meaning, a new start and new forgiveness. The God who comes close to us, in the ordinary, and the everyday, the God who cares so much for us, that nothing can ever separate us from his love. On earth power might corrupt, but God’s incredible love is greater.
If you've appreciated this, why not...
Donate to support Dave's work Subscribe on YouTube Follow on X Like on Facebook Contact Dave Subscribe