Always the Damsel

To be a Christian is to admit that in the story of salvation you are always the damsel in distress. You aren't the hero who save the day, you aren't the quirky side kick who brings comedic relief. You aren't even a Princess Leia style damsel who gets to grab the gun, start shooting, and shout, "Somebody's got to save our skins." Nope - you are the clumsy, ditzy sort of damsel who keeps messing things off, setting off traps. The sort of damsel that would annoy the audience watching the film, the sort where people think, "Wow, may Indy should just let her get pasted."

This is how we are described in the Scriptures - as sinners in constant need of care, as sheep who wander, as those who are in constant need of rescue.

And this is why Christianity is never popular. Who wants to be the damsel in distress? We all want to be the hero, the focus of the story -- or even if we are rescued, we at least want to be the Princess who gets to command. But that's not what we see in Scripture. We see in God's Law what we really are, and we wish to avoid admitting it as long as we can.

We are always the damsel. Luther would say that we are always beggars before God. It is never about our own good, but rather that God is good to us in Christ Jesus, indeed, that He even works good through us. This is a lesson those who think along the ways of the world despise, but to the Christian it is the most wonderful news - it's not about me, it doesn't hinge on me. Christ Jesus has done it all.