Look Back

In class we discussed the story of Lot's wife, more specifically the idea that she had to turn back to look at the destruction that was being wrought. The professor mentioned that a certain author had said that he “loved her for turning back” despite God's warnings not to and the horrible fate she then experienced. He loved her because someone had to turn back, and it had to be Lot's wife, the story wouldn't have nearly the impact if she hadn't.

People doing what they're told not to do is what drives our literature. In this case it is a cautionary tale, warning believers to listen to God's word when it is given (granted this is old testament God who really enjoyed smiting stuff). In other cases people not doing what they're told means that they are changing their situations for the better. In 1984 Winston begins to resist Big Brother and changes his situation for the better, if only for a short time. Qui-Gon Jinn goes against the Jedi Council and tells Obi Wan to train Anakin Skywalker in the first episode of Star Wars. If these people had done what they were told they would have lived boring, realativly uneventful lives, but by dissenting against authority they set in motion a series of events that could never have been foreseen.

This idea can be carried over into our lives. By breaking the mold and going against what we know we can create new story arcs in our own lives. Do something different today, break the monotony and you'll never know where it'll take you.