True Grit.

I thought I wanted to see it. It’s a western, after all. It’s got horses in it and that’s enough to interest me, usually. Then I heard it was gory.

I saw The Passion a couple of times. It was bloody. I had to hide my eyes during the flogging scene. I was nearly sick.

Hollywood does a masterful job at creating movies that appeal to a variety of audiences. Romantic comedies for women and action-adventure flicks for men. (Obviously, I generalize.)

When I was reading Isaiah this morning, it occurred to me that the Bible also has passages that appeal to a variety of audiences. Consider the passage I read today:

Isaiah 49:26 “I will feed your enemies with their own flesh.
They will be drunk with rivers of their own blood.
All the world will know that I, the Lord,
am your Savior and your Redeemer,
the Mighty One of Israel.”

Now that’s gruesome and just plain disgusting. Men probably read that passage and think, “Alright!”

The Bible has something for everyone. Consider a few verses earlier, Isaiah 49:15:

“Never! Can a mother forget her nursing child?
Can she feel no love for the child she has borne?
But even if that were possible,
I would not forget you!”

That’s a passage for women, many of whom know the strong bond of a mother to her child.

It’s interesting to me that God has created this literary work that appeals to all readers. It has drama. It has action. It has some comedic content. And it has an amazing love story. Have you read it lately?

Question: Which storylines in the Bible appeal to you like a Hollywood movie?