To Kill a Mockingbird

  
Yesterday marked the 50th anniversary of the publication of Harper Lee's classic, To Kill a Mockingbird.  Without knowing this, I just recently picked up and read the novel as part of my summer reading, and I am glad that I did.
To Kill a Mockingbird is a story that depicts the youthful days of a girl and her brother growing up in a small town in Alabama during the Great Depression and learning crucial life lessons as they watch and experience their father defending an wrongfully accused black man of a terrible crime.  The book touches upon numerous themes and important points yet avoids being "preachy" in its delivery.  Its title refers to the idea that it is "a sin to kill a mockingbird," as mockingbirds "don't do one thing but sing their hearts out for us," and the "mockingbirds" in our lives can include those who give of themselves selflessly to others.  Some of the questions it raised in my mind included:

• As a Christian, do I pursue mercy and justice for the oppressed and underprivileged, or do I turn a blind eye to the needs of others?
• Do I judge others and presume to know about them without truly getting to know who they are as individuals? 
• Do I put limits around what love looks like, what faith looks like, what Christians look like, and what God can do?
• Am I willing to stand up for what I believe to be right, and what I believe to be in accordance with God's word, or do I look to take the easy way out? 
• Do I pursue a life of comfort and the approval and acceptance of others, or do I pursue a life that seeks to love God and others first?
• Do I cherish the gift of life that God has given us, and do I mourn when this gift is stolen from others?

A recent article in USA Today speaks of the 50-year celebration for Lee's work, and you can read it by clicking here.