The story of Mr. Merrick reminds me of how the perfect, incorruptible God-man voluntarily came out of eternity to go to this "place" on behalf of sinners who--without His loving intervention via living the only perfectly righteous, obedient life until His substitutionary atoning death--would be subject to far worse than Mr. Merrick experienced... unto all eternity. (See Luke 16:23-24, e.g.)
Mel Gibson's portrayal, in "The Passion of the Christ," via actor James Caviezel, was alike to the can't-watch-this-horror which Jeff, in his comment, describes some of the students feeling in his communications class. But it was Biblically accurate; and that was only the surface physical stuff which can be portrayed on film.
"His appearance was marred more than any man, and His form more than the sons of men... He has no stately form or majesty that we should look upon Him, nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him." (Isaiah 52:14b,c & 53:2c,d,e)
I saw the movie., "The Elephant Man," when it was first released in 1980, and it left an indelible impact on me. I believe it is a movie everyone should see, and when I was an adjunct professor at Colorado Christian University, I taught a Christian communications class in which I showed this movie as a point of study over the course of three different class periods one week. After the first part of the showing, a couple of students remarked that they didn't want to have to see the rest because it was so difficult emotionally. We did watch the whole movie, and in the end it became a poignant element in the fabric of the class that semester. When Mr. Merrick toward the end of the movie is forced to confront the abusive crowd at the train, he finally turns to them and screams, "I am not an animal! I am a human being!," I broke down and cried, and even as I recall the scene, it bring tears. We are all God's precious creations regardless of looks or otherwise. I eventually became a high school SPED teacher for 16 years, and I still have a special place in my heart for those who may look or act differently only because God, in his sovereignty, made us all the way we are.
I won't claim this to be universally true, but I've often found it isn't the Joseph Merrick's of the world who spend the most time questioning God about the way they are made. Quite often it's others who can't imagine living that way and so empathetically get angry at God on their behalf.
Amen! Wise observation. In addition, in our comfy health-and-wealth modern culture, including in churches, I have observed (and once was very much part of) an ethos that drives toward putting all one's heart, soul, mind, and strength toward seeking physical perfection, and then when one discovers it is unachievable in this life and feels it slipping away, pushes toward things like abortion, euthanasia, pain- and mind-numbing, drugs, and finally self-murder.
Thanks, I often quote Oliver Cromwell who told his portrait painter, “ paint me warts and all.” Too often we all try obscure spiritual warts , afraid to let our real selves be known. I include myself in that observation.
Thank you for this. I have always been drawn to Joseph Merrick & his life and love for heavenly father. I first discovered about him as a nine year old child amongst other very special people & their true stories in a book with the same name; Very Special People: The Struggles, Loves and Triumphs of Human Oddities: Written by Frederick. Drimmer, whom sadly we're often put in the circus & treated cruelly and abusively. Yet my heart went out to them all and what struck out most about Joseph was his draw towards his very creator God and towards the bible.
I think people like Joseph are very special. I can't imagine living life the way he and others had to live it. But I know that God had a plan and purpose for them. He makes no mistakes.
I remember watching a t.v. movie about Merrick as a little kid (maybe 4 years old or so). It was the first time I can remember a movie making me cry -- not out of fear, but out of sorrow for how he was treated. I think this was the movie.
Marvelous and poignant. Thank you, Jason.
The story of Mr. Merrick reminds me of how the perfect, incorruptible God-man voluntarily came out of eternity to go to this "place" on behalf of sinners who--without His loving intervention via living the only perfectly righteous, obedient life until His substitutionary atoning death--would be subject to far worse than Mr. Merrick experienced... unto all eternity. (See Luke 16:23-24, e.g.)
Mel Gibson's portrayal, in "The Passion of the Christ," via actor James Caviezel, was alike to the can't-watch-this-horror which Jeff, in his comment, describes some of the students feeling in his communications class. But it was Biblically accurate; and that was only the surface physical stuff which can be portrayed on film.
"His appearance was marred more than any man, and His form more than the sons of men... He has no stately form or majesty that we should look upon Him, nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him." (Isaiah 52:14b,c & 53:2c,d,e)
I saw the movie., "The Elephant Man," when it was first released in 1980, and it left an indelible impact on me. I believe it is a movie everyone should see, and when I was an adjunct professor at Colorado Christian University, I taught a Christian communications class in which I showed this movie as a point of study over the course of three different class periods one week. After the first part of the showing, a couple of students remarked that they didn't want to have to see the rest because it was so difficult emotionally. We did watch the whole movie, and in the end it became a poignant element in the fabric of the class that semester. When Mr. Merrick toward the end of the movie is forced to confront the abusive crowd at the train, he finally turns to them and screams, "I am not an animal! I am a human being!," I broke down and cried, and even as I recall the scene, it bring tears. We are all God's precious creations regardless of looks or otherwise. I eventually became a high school SPED teacher for 16 years, and I still have a special place in my heart for those who may look or act differently only because God, in his sovereignty, made us all the way we are.
I won't claim this to be universally true, but I've often found it isn't the Joseph Merrick's of the world who spend the most time questioning God about the way they are made. Quite often it's others who can't imagine living that way and so empathetically get angry at God on their behalf.
Amen! Wise observation. In addition, in our comfy health-and-wealth modern culture, including in churches, I have observed (and once was very much part of) an ethos that drives toward putting all one's heart, soul, mind, and strength toward seeking physical perfection, and then when one discovers it is unachievable in this life and feels it slipping away, pushes toward things like abortion, euthanasia, pain- and mind-numbing, drugs, and finally self-murder.
Thanks, I often quote Oliver Cromwell who told his portrait painter, “ paint me warts and all.” Too often we all try obscure spiritual warts , afraid to let our real selves be known. I include myself in that observation.
Thank you.
Great essay/devotional! Merrick’s story is so inspirational, especially to people of faith.
Thank you for this. I have always been drawn to Joseph Merrick & his life and love for heavenly father. I first discovered about him as a nine year old child amongst other very special people & their true stories in a book with the same name; Very Special People: The Struggles, Loves and Triumphs of Human Oddities: Written by Frederick. Drimmer, whom sadly we're often put in the circus & treated cruelly and abusively. Yet my heart went out to them all and what struck out most about Joseph was his draw towards his very creator God and towards the bible.
I think people like Joseph are very special. I can't imagine living life the way he and others had to live it. But I know that God had a plan and purpose for them. He makes no mistakes.
I remember watching a t.v. movie about Merrick as a little kid (maybe 4 years old or so). It was the first time I can remember a movie making me cry -- not out of fear, but out of sorrow for how he was treated. I think this was the movie.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SjiN1FkmfU