Thinking Out LoudFor my generation, the word “vampire” calls to mind not Bram Stoker’s Dracula, but the Dracula from the cartoon Hotel Transylvania, or Olivia Rodrigo’s recent tune, or the age-old debate of whether you’re Team Edward or Team Jacob (that’s a Twilight reference, for the boomers in the room).
Surprisingly, the recent film Sinners possesses few of the cheesy characteristics typical of vampire movies. Instead, it weaves an intricate tale of colonialism and segregation, following entrepreneur twins Smoke and Stack as they plan to open a juke joint – by black people, for black people. Along the way, they recruit their little cousin Sammie, whose music acts as a portal into the spiritual realm. This attracts the attention of Remmick, an ancient Irish vampire seeking to bring more into his eternal blood-thirsty fold. He touts solidarity, fellowship, and love, as he tries to entice those inside the joint to just let him inside. “Can’t we just for one night … all be family?” he asks.
Remmick says: “This world already left you for dead. Won’t let you build. Won’t let you fellowship. We will do just that. Together. Forever.”
Remmick’s invite struck me. Today, we find ourselves more isolated, cynical, and lonelier than ever. Perhaps we’ve spent so much time behind a screen that we’ve forgotten how to communicate in real life. Then we blame others for their inability to connect with us. We seek out companionship, but our defensive mechanisms advise us to keep others at arm’s length. It’s tiring work.
We all have an endless thirst for connection. While Remmick consumes others to satisfy his eternal thirst, Jesus offers fellowship, life and love to satisfy ours. Not for nothing is he called the well of living water, never running empty or dry.
This Thinking Out Loud was first published on Facebook.