By Pastor Leah Fintel Krotz, Trinity Lutheran Church, Bruning
Before attending seminary and becoming a full-time pastor, I was the director of the Belleville Public Library for 27 years. Although a lot of my time was spent on budgeting and payroll, collection development, marketing, and all the administrative work that had to be done, the part of my job I loved most was when I had the opportunity to fill in at the front desk—answering reference questions and helping people find what they were looking for. And it was always fun to discuss books with other readers.
One thing I learned that really surprised me was that there are quite a few people out there who enjoy spoilers. In other words, they like to know what’s going to happen at the end of the book they’re reading or the movie they’re watching. Some would even check out mystery books and then turn immediately to the last chapter, so that they would know right away who the murderer was. Then, and only then, would they start reading at the beginning of the book.
I’m not one of those people! In fact, I hate to know the ending, or any other spoilers that might “ruin” a book or movie for me. If I really love a book, I might read it several times, but to me it’s never quite the same because I already know what’s going to happen.
There is one kind of spoiler, however, that I’m delighted to know about, and that is the kind of “spoiler” that’s found in the Bible. For Christians, it’s absolutely a comfort and a joy to know “the rest of the story,” as Paul Harvey used to say. No matter what we face here in this world—family troubles, cancer or other diseases, the loss of someone we love—followers of Jesus know that there is something better to come—that Jesus has already defeated death and evil, and that one day he will return to restore and redeem the world and all who put their trust in him. We have a hope that can’t be taken away from us.
[Jesus said] “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
