An Appeal for the Study of Christian History
What constitutes a 'happy ending' in our eyes? Usually it is the protagonist of the story receiving all that he ever hoped for, all he ever wanted. The stories that we like to read, watch or hear about are not usually those in which the main character is mistreated the whole of their life. If the person has a happy end to their life, I suppose we could live with that. But what about a story where someone lives and dies unloved, hated, persecuted, materially poor and who doesn't get his promised inheritance? A person who lives every day killing their own dreams, desires and aspirations, and this deliberately? Not trying to be their own person, but Another's? A person who determines to ignore their own heart and follow Another's? A person who doesn't assert their own 'rights' but lets others trample on them? Would we consider that a happy ending? From a human perspective, I think not. And yet, these are people s...