I bring up this question about the past staying just that, the past, because of a recent incident involving Guardians of the Galaxy director and creative genius producer and initiator of the future Marvel Cosmic Cinematic Universe, James Gunn.

Gunn was recently fired from Disney (who owns Marvel) for some Tweets he posted years ago that have resurfaced to throw major shade on the man. Apparently these Tweets were highly offensive and crude, not at all funny, and very disappointing to fans, and to Gunn himself.

Here’s the gist of what happened. There’s a group of people who hunt for dirt intentionally to hurt people. These tweets were from nearly a decade ago, and had already been addressed when Gunn was hired 6 years ago to do the first Guardians movie. He apologized then and admitted that they were in very bad taste and that he’s sorry and that he’s not the same man who posted and said those things.

At the time, that was it. But a week ago or so some people who have nothing better to do than try to ruin people’s lives went digging and drug them back out into the public eye. Gunn was immediately fired (as if he had just made the statements that day).

Now, it just reminds me of how evil forces persist in our lives as Christians. Do the things of our old selves actually die? Do humans truly believe in grace and forgiveness? Can people really change, and if so, what does that mean about the mistakes they made in the past?

 

It’s really sad to me that people will always be bound to their past mistakes no matter who the person may have developed into in time, and especially if that past mistake was actually pivotal in their change.

I think of Paul, who used to kill Christians. Sure, at first Peter and the others were dubious of him, but they forgave him and learned to accept him. Do you think they kept drumming up his past now that he was born again? NO! No Way!

And it sucks that people now – ESPECIALLY IN OUR DIGITAL AGE – have to live in fear that anything they’ve ever done or said, no matter how much they’ve grown or changed, can be used against them to destroy the life they’ve built.

if that’s not the work of the devil I don’t know what it.

 

So here’s a link to read a little more about what happened with James Gunn and how some of his Guardian friends are coming to his defense. Take note of what Chris Pratt says – a couple different bible quotes.

https://movieweb.com/james-gunn-firing-chris-pratt-responds-bible-verses/

 

 

And it’s not stopping here. I looked at some news following my Atlanta Braves today (that’s baseball, by the way). We have a young pitcher who almost made history and threw a no-hitter, which means no one on the other team got a single base hit the whole game. They are rare feats of history and the Braves haven’t had one since 1994.

He had 2 outs in the 9th and even had 2 strikes on the guy, which means one more strike and he’d make history, but the batter was able to put the ball in play and it just zoomed passed our third baseman breaking the no-hitter and the hearts of Braves fans the world over.

But here’s the thing. As soon as Sean (that’s his name) made it into the locker room his phone had blown up with messages about some offensive tweets he made when he was a teenager. A teenager! Teenagers say so many dumb things while they grow up.

So here’s this guy, having one of the most monumental days of his life, all the while there are trolls searching for a way to bring him down. Here’s this guy who’s looking like he will be in the headlines, right? So out come these people with nothing better to do than try to ruin his day, his life, his reputation, his career, etc.

Now the team is “disappointed” and “dealing with it” whatever that means. On a day where he should be praised for the near accomplishment of greatness, he’s having to appologise for things he Tweeted years ago too.

 

People change, especially when they know Jesus and grace. But unfortunately our past is still a weapon the evil one can use against us. God may forgive and forget, but apparently vindictive internet trolls, with nothing better to do, who can’t find joy in life outside of tearing down others, do not comprehend forgiveness or grace.

 

Be careful, friends, of the things you do and say. We know what it means to live forgiven, but the forces of evil will still find ways to come after you. And chances are it’ll happen when you’re ridding high at some point.

 

God be with you.

Shalom

 

-jonathan