The Pilgrim's Progress

The kids in the Jr. Youth group (of which I'm responsible) are reading Pilgrim's Progress.  It's such a great story.  The things Christian encounters are soooooo useful in helping kids think about the Christian life.

We watched an animated version of the film on Wednesday.  I followed a young girl (13 or so) as she watched.  She was baptized into church membership this summer while I was away.  When Christian made it to the cross and the burden of his sins fell away, the girl smiled and lifted her hands.  She apparently knows exactly what that is like...finding forgiveness. 

The kids sit in silence and watch the movie though it is in a foreign language...English.  We've read it in Creole, so they know the characters.  And I translate some of the dialogue.  I'm so impressed with the way the story captivates and inspires people. 

I hope you've read the story yourself.  If not, pick up a copy. 

At one point Christian arrives in a place called Vanity Fair.  They try to sell him all kinds of worldly things.  He refuses all of it.  For that, the people in the market are afraid of him.  He is jailed, tried and convicted of 'trouble making'.  It's not hard to see the parallels between Vanity Fair and USA 2013.  In the end, Christian's friend Faithful is killed for his/her faith.  BUT, among the people who witness her execution there are those who decide to leave Vanity Fair because of the way Faithful lived and died. 

Remain faithful to the end...whatever end that may be.