Plant vs Zombies: A Theological Reflection
- The literal act of planting is a cultural mandate.
Genesis 1:28 tells us to "fill the earth and
subdue it." Subduing means cultivating a piece of land or a place to make
it better than before we came. IT IS NOT simply putting everything under our
control. Subduing should be our mandate in our present situation or with our
present involvement(s) for the benefit of our co-sojourners and for generations
to come.
- Zombies should not be allowed to eat our brains.
Zombies can take symbolic forms, metaphorical
images, or literal realities in our lives. For sure, they exist! The zombies in
our lives should be prevented from eating our brains, which means not allowing
them to occupy our conscious and subconscious minds.
They can be emblematic of the irritants or horror
stories in our workplaces and personal lives. In most areas of our lives, they
take the form of proud, unwelcoming, and selfish people—people who are capable
of hurting us. Zombies were not born zombies. They became cursed as a result of
the painful and damaging treatments they experienced from other people in the
past. They remained undead because of unforgiveness, hatred, and yes, because
of the cry for justice. They, like us, are wounded and broken. We too can
become zombies if we don't break the spell by planting seeds of peace, love,
hope, understanding, and compassion. We must be tireless and unceasing in
planting these seeds because zombies should not be allowed to eat our brains.
- Even Zombies can "push up daisies".
"Pushing up daisies" is an expression in
the English language that means "dead". Someone who pushes up daisies
is already dead.
We must understand that endless waves of zombies
are before us, and their arrival is imminent. Our call as individuals (and as a
group) is not to eliminate them all at once. In the book of Deuteronomy 7:22,
Moses said, "The Lord your God will drive out those nations before you,
little by little. You will not be allowed to eliminate them all at once,
or the wild animals will multiply around you". This verse speaks of
God's economy and management. This tells us that we can only expand according
to how much we have grown inside. We can only be given what we can handle.
An oyster produces bigger and prettier pearls due
to the irritations produced by its immediate surroundings—its own zombies. We
are therefore challenged to be able to create something beautiful and precious
from all the irritants around us—our own zombies. Zombies are an integral part
of our growth. We can enjoy and be entrusted with bigger territories if we
learn to understand that, though zombies can make our lawns messy, they too can
push up daisies.
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