You know who you are. You give life. You ask for extra lives. You curse multiplying chocolate squares and delight in speckled "donuts". You are…the candy crushers. Me too. I'm totally hooked.
SO, I decided if I am going to spend so much time on this game, I should try to learn something deep and meaningful from the experience. Strangely, as I thought about it, the game is eerily qualified to ponder in this manner. So, here are some deep thoughts on this as it relates to Christians and the spiritual life...
1) It's free. OK - you may have to have acquired the electronic device you use to play it, but you can actually enjoy the benefits and never spend a penny. It makes me think of grace - the free gift God gives us, all just because He loves us. It is there for the taking. Why is it so easy to take some things for free - like addicting, distracting video games, but not this life-giving gift?
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— not the result of works, so that no one may boast. (Eph. 2:8-9)
2) It appears to encourage generosity. Yes, appears to. Give friends life! Sounds good right??? But, when you send a friend a life, it doesn't actually COST you anything. You literally just click a button. We are so willing to do things as long as we don't have to give something up right??? NO sacrifice on our part. Hmm. And since we are talking about giving life….…how about TRULY giving friends access to REAL life? Like telling them how great Jesus is? And sharing about that free gift of grace?? and how about God's great and unending love for them? I know...we might risk offending someone. No one ever said being a Christian did not involve sacrifice.
like living stones, let yourselves be built[a] into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 2: 5)
3) "You have failed to clear the jelly" - How many times do we fail to reach a goal? What do we do when that happens? Are you one of the ones who gives up and stops playing when you hit the same level too many times? Do you double your efforts and ask every friend you have for more lives so you can show that game who is boss? Do you cave and buy one of the many enticing "add-ons" to help you pass a level? I'll admit, I have spent nights anxiously waiting the arrival of new life so I could beat a level, and I have also taken the easy way out and bought some of the "extras" in a moment of desperation. Not sure what that says about my spiritual state of mind..but it's probably not far off. How many times do we want to take control of our lives, when we need to remember that we are NOT in control. How many times do we take the easy way out, when we ought to remember that
... endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us" (Romans 5:4-5)
I know. It's just a game. Did you know that they are adding new levels to Candy Crush EVERY WEEK? Did you know that the chances you ever "beat" the game are pretty slim?? SO, maybe we should stop trying to win and concentrate more on HOW we play?
One of the best things about loving and growing in Christ is the process one goes through while experiencing it. There is never a dull moment. You never stop growing. There is always an opportunity to learn more, and get to another level.
