Don’t you hate it? You’re sitting next to the lake with your girl (or guy), enjoying the moonlight, when from out of nowhere, you hear a terrible moaning. Suddenly, there’s a rustling in a nearby clump of pine trees. Pointing frantically, your girlfriend (or boyfriend) lets out a blood curdling scream (If it was your boyfriend who screamed like this, I’d be tempted to reevaluate the relationship). You look to see what’s causing such fear, and to your horror, coming out of the trees, dragging his half dead leg behind him, is a Zombie.
Boy oh boy, I can’t tell you the number of times this has happened to me.
What are Zombies?
You might answer, “the undead.” They are former people, who for some reason, whether nuclear attack, bad drugs, epidemic, or a bite by a radioactive aardvark now live in a state of the un-living. Mangled and rotting . . . yet still walking. Part alive, part dead.
Wait! Wait! Before you label me as a total whacko, may I state for the record, I Don’t Believe in Zombies. . . at least not the kind just described. But, you have to admit, we are in the midst of Zombie mania. Everywhere I turn I see them; Movies, games, books, television shows. Yet I contend that in this world there are Spiritual Zombies; those who appear alive on the outside, yet are dead on the inside.
Jesus Warned Us About Zombies.
It’s true! In Matthew 23, He confronted the religious leaders of His day.
As you read the following passage, picture the Zombies standing there, listening to Jesus’ words. Do you think they’d be angry with what He was saying? You bet they’d be angry. They were the religious leaders; the high mucky-mucks. Look at what He said, how He described them?
Matthew 23:25-28 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
What did I tell you? Spiritual Zombies.
If I were to ask you to make a list entitled “Qualities of Zombies”, what would it include? I did this at a youth retreat. The list read something like this- Dead, Walking dead, The undead, A being that can walk and talk (at least grunt), but is really dead.
Do you get the picture? Zombies are dead!
Compare this list to the words of Jesus, in the above scripture. He was talking about people who looked good on the outside. They walked, they talked, they looked alive. Yet on the inside they were full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.
That’s what I call Spiritual Zombies!
And guess what? I think we live in a world filled with these beings; people who have physical life, but on the inside there’s something missing.
Over the next few weeks, I’m going to post some blogs on these “dead men walking”. I hope you’ll stick with me. Who knows what we may learn?
Some of my future titles to look forward to are- The Origin of Spiritual Zombies, The Field Guide to Knowing your Zombie, Dealing With the Inner Zombie, Protect Your Brain!, Zombies- The Cure.
If you have any ideas for other chapter titles, please feel free to leave a comment or suggestion.
You are amazing! Your insight and writing ability inspire so many. Great blog!
Thanks. The $20 is in the mail. Just kidding. I appreciate your support.