A movie, that I can watch over and over again is Scent of a Woman. To say that the performance by Al Pacino (who plays the character of a blind Lieutenant Colonel Frank Slade) and Chris O’Donnell (who plays the character of Charlie Simms, a prep school student who takes up a weekend job of being the Colonel caretaker) to be anything short of fantastic would certainly be an understatement. In one of the scenes, the Lt. Col. has decided to end his life by shooting himself, but is stopped and scolded by Charlie. The conversation that occurs is something as follows.

Charlie Simms: So you messed up all right? So what? So everybody does it. Get on with your life would ya?
Lt. Col. Frank Slade: [screaming] What Life? I got no life! I’m in the dark here. You understand? I’m in the dark!

It dawned on me from just those two lines, that there is so much we can learn to apply in our Christian walk.

  1. First, everybody messes up – We are all sinners. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)
  2. Second, We need to get on with our life. The failures in our life don’t define us and there is hope for all. Jesus Christ is the only hope for all. (1 Timothy 1:1)
  3. Third, there are many who question as to what Life is all about. They are screaming – What Life? and feel that there is no life!
  4. Fourth, accordingly to Lt. Col. Frank Slade, his blindness meant that he was in the dark and to be in the dark means that there is no life. In other words, those who can see, can see light and in light is Life. The parallel from this is the most important. There are many who are blinded in their minds (spiritual eyes). The god of this world (Satan) has blinded the minds of many who believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. And when they are still blind, they are in the dark. Jesus came so that the blind can see (Luke 4:18). He proclaimed that He is the light of the world and they that believe in Him and follow Him (interesting isn’t it that it is the blind that usually follow) shall not walk in darkness anymore, but have in them the light of Life (John 8:12), life eternal (John 3:16).

Point(s) to ponder:

  1. Are you one those who was blind, but now can see? It is better to be the blind who can see than to be the seeing who is blind!
  2. When people around us are screaming, “What Life?”, “I’m in the dark”, “Do you Understand?”, do we really understand their state?
  3. Are we willing to show them the Light of the world that can redeem them from darkness and death into light and life (or) Are we hiding this glorious light by putting it under the bushels of our sinful and selfish lives?

2 Corinthians 4:3-6 (KJV)
3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.
6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

John 8:12 (KJV)
12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.