Aubrey is not initially aware that his companion is a
blood-sucker, yet he can’t help but notice Ruthven’s strange behavior. When they stop in towns, Lord Ruthven is very
generous with needy people…certain needy people. If someone is legitimately poor and needs
help, Ruthven gives him nothing, but if a person seeks money to spend on vice
(a fancy word for sinful stuff) Lord Ruthven gives lavishly. Even at the gambling table, the secret vampyre
wins against desperate men, but loses on purpose to greedy men.
We can learn from this vampire! Lord Ruthven desires to destroy and the best
way to do that is to indulge our sinful appetites. Sin is such a churchy word to throw
around. This story illustrates what it
truly is though: anything that destroys life, love, and relationships.
Jesus said that evil “comes to steal and destroy.” That is evil’s goal in our life. We need to recognize that we have an enemy,
and it’s not a vampire. Our enemy wants
to wreck us, to shame us, to make us feel worthless, to get us to go further in
our self-destructive habits, to burn the people that love us, to break off
connections with others, to isolate, to hate others and ourselves, to not care
enough to do much for those around us.
“But,” Jesus goes on, “I have come that you might have life
and have it more abundantly.” What part
of you is taking life? What voices are
trying to tear life and love from you?
I’m trying to listen more to Jesus’ voice that tells me to
choose His way, to choose to live life fully and to love fully. I have a tendency to listen to the other
voice that says, “You’re not enough.”
That
can depress me and keep me stepping away from my wife and the
people in my life. Yet, I’m recognizing
evil’s voice more and letting the great power of the Holy Spirit override
it.
Join me in fighting the life-sucking vampires!
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