Fear, The Green Lantern and Traffic Lights

Ryan Reynolds as Hal Jordan in Green Lantern. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 Keep your eyes open, hold tight to your convictions, give it all you’ve got, be resolute, and love without stopping. 1 Corinthians 16:13-14

I had the opportunity this weekend to sit down and watch the movie the Green Lantern.  I have to admit I was blown away by the special effects and the realistic CGI.  Beyond all that widow dressing was a story with a good biblical message interwoven in it. What I found very interesting is the different colors represented in the film and their meaning.  Green, yellow and red, yes the color of a traffic signal.  Like a traffic signal each color has the same meaning.

In brightest day, in blackest night, no evil shall escape my sight.  Let those who worship evil’s might, beware my power, Green Lantern’s light!!!

I guess that is what is called the Green Lantern’s oath.  I love all the symbolism in this oath.  How light overcomes darkness.  The sound of determination and courage in this oath is pretty awesome.  The color green here represents will or goodness.  Green in a traffic signal means to go.  The above verse shows that with faith, courage and determination, love is never ending.  God has given us a free will to do with as we please or as He pleases.  The other cool aspect in the film is the green ring is only limited by your own imagination.  This is the aspect of faith.  God does not want us shrinking back and giving up, He wants us going through the green light into the realm of the unknown.  We have to allow our faith to give us courage to move to the next level that God has planned for us.

The next color is yellow.  This in a traffic signal means to be careful.  It’s also the color of fear.  You know the old saying, “He had a yellow streak a mile wide on his back.”  Fear is what keeps us just mediocre.  It takes the excellence away in our life and gives us the attitude of “that’s good enough.”  Fear in my estimation is the ultimate evil.  It makes you do things that you would not normally do if you had courage to face what needs to be faced; whatever that  may be.  Fear puts us on the fence between good and evil.  It makes us lukewarm.  In Revelation John tells us that being lukewarm makes God want to toss His cookies.  That’s why I say fear if unchecked, as in the film, can be the ultimate evil.  God would rather us be just plain evil than sitting on the fence between green and red.  The enemy feeds on our fears and can use our imagination to our great disadvantage.  As always Satan twists things around to the point of taking the good God meant for us and making it a negative.  So like faith, lets use our imagination to keep us moving forward to where God wants us to be.  Fear uses our imagination to cripple us into believing the negative thing will happen.

Finally red represents evil.  Or in the traffic signal it means stop.  Which if you are in a hurry to get somewhere can be the ultimate evil.  Red was not represented in the film at all, but it is in the animated series (yes I’m a kid at heart).  Yes there are Red Lanterns out there.  Guess what they are, all very evil.  Rage and hatred is what powers them.  Evil is just plain evil and when it happens it can stop us dead in our tracks.  It can keep our momentum in check.  Tragedy, trials and tribulations can be devastating to our lives if we continue to wallow in them.  Staying strong in the word and allowing friends to encourage us can get us past these anchors that can keep us from the path.  Fear can set in as well when these things happen.

I’m not saying that we can eliminate all fear, that’s impossible.  As Hal Jordan said in the film, “We are human!!”  Fear can be our best friend or our worst enemy.  We can make a choice to accept the circumstances and face them head on, or we can go the other direction and run away.  The green light is faith and courage, these will move you onward.  The yellow light is setting yourself up for bondage and slowing your momentum.  The red light is evil, it is there to destroy you.  Thank you God that your light is green and that because of that, we can move on through life without being scared and fearful and possibly stopped dead in our tracks.  Funny how a movie and a traffic light can symbolize our life and our walk with Christ.