24 June | Youth
«For we have been made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men.» 1 Corinthians 4:9
The Island of Tears is a memorial built in the city of Minsk, in Belarus, in honor of the soldiers of the former Soviet Union who died in the War in Afghanistan in the 1980s. In the center of the city there is a small temple adorned by statues representing mothers and sisters of fallen combatants. The realism of the sculptures is impressive. You can clearly see the feeling of pain and anguish on the faces of the relatives, as they hold their children's belongings.
On the walls of the chapel, lists of soldiers who died in combat are posted. Their names are decorated with crowns, bells and moving dedications. In front of the temple, you can still see the statue of an angel who cries for not being able to save more soldiers in that useless and senseless war.
This monument on the Island of Tears is a miniature of what happens in our world marked by the conflict between good and evil. Here we fight, fall, cry and say goodbye to those we love. It is a battle that has eternal implications.
The apostle Paul wrote that we are on the stage of this war, and angels and human beings are watching us. The Greek word for “spectacle” is theatron, from which the term “theatre” is derived, which refers to both the place of performance and the object on display. In other words, Paul stated that we participate in the theater of real life, presented to all beings in the universe. In this play, there is no script, but everyone writes their own plot.
How do you react when you know that invisible beings are looking at you at this moment? Does the fact that God's angels know your tears, temptations and joys bring you comfort? The Bible says that they are “ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation” (Heb 1:14). They accompany us, protect us and record everything we do (Ps 34:7; 91:11; Mal 3:16).
In this world marked by tears, God is doing everything to save you. He provided the means for the show to have a happy ending. The main character of this story –Jesus Christ– will one day wipe away every tear from our eyes (Rev 21:4).