Think about how you could reflect changing world

TODAY (Friday) marks the 50th anniversary of the release of that iconic film Jaws through which its director, Steven Spielberg, became a household name.

In its day, the film left audiences terrified and certainly changed the perception of sharks for many. It also significantly influenced the film industry in terms of its cinematography and in introducing the idea of a summer movie season.

Today, Jaws might look rather dated, as special effects have come a long way since the mechanical shark employed in the movie, nonetheless, certain themes depicted in the film have a timeless nature about them.

A shark attack near a beach on a fictional island leaves the town’s mayor in a dilemma. To shut the beaches and lose the income of the summer season, or to minimise the risk (even denying it) so as to maintain the local economy.

While personal gain might have played a part in the mayor’s decision, after all, popularity is essential for re-election, it seems that he was simply representing the desire of the community. The wish for financial gain along with a good time overshadowed the risk of further deadly shark attacks.

Isn’t this something that characterises human nature. How often do people bury their heads in the sand regarding what is really going on when it comes to life and death?

Rather than confronting the truth, we simply go along with the general consensus, because to do otherwise might prove costly in all manner of ways.

A desire for wealth and a comfortable lifestyle, for leisure and pleasure, which is regularly presented to us as the goal of our existence, soon becomes the driving factor behind our choices in life.

Sadly, the result is so often the same as in the film Jaws. Lives that are spent in the pursuit of wealth and fame, while dismissive of the reality of life, death and eternity, regularly end up in disaster.

Jesus, when he was teaching his followers, spoke about the foolishness of chasing after pointless treasures, a reference to material possessions. Instead he encouraged his hearers to consider those treasures that are eternal in nature: to seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness.

On a practical level, that involves having faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ, which in turn leads to adopting the priorities that are evident in his life.

Priorities that involve not simply looking out for one’s own interests, but rather considering the long-term, even eternal, best interests of others. For when we seek the kingdom of God, we seek to be part of that kingdom, which results in living for the benefit of other people — righteous lives!

The film industry might have come a long way in the 50 years since Jaws first hit the big screen, but perhaps a more important question to ask is whether human nature has changed that much.

How focused are we on pursuing our own material goals, or are we more inclined to put the eternal well-being of others first?