Reading
“Surely the LORD is in this place — and I did not know it!”
Genesis 28:16
Reflection
“Better than Us,” is a Russian series on Netflix. The story is set three years from now. The main character is a robot named Arisa. Arisa has been designed to protect her owner at all costs. Arisa meets a little girl named Sonja, accidentally connecting with her and becoming her protector. Then, almost magically, we watch the robot and child bond. Sonja is innocent, kind and loving. Arisa learns these qualities from Sonja and begins to emulate them.
In a pivotal scene, Sonja wanders into the street. Her human family is so caught up in other things they fail to notice the little girl in the busy street. Just before Sonja is hit by a truck, Arisa saves her, but is herself crushed by the truck. Arisa, a robot, sacrifices her ‘life’ for the human child.
“Better than Us,” asks this question: Will our technological creations one day become more human than us even as we become less human?
Pastor Brandon reminded us of the story found in Genesis 28:16, about Jacob as he flees the wrath of the brother he robbed. In the story, Jacob remarks about his experience at the place he would call Bethel (meaning “house of God” in Hebrew): “Surely the LORD is in this place — and I did not know it!”
Jacob discovered God’s presence and promise when he least expected it. Even in times of turmoil with people or circumstances (or maybe especially in those times), God is present with us, too.
In Better than Us, Arisa resurrects like a kind of high tech Jesus and continues to protect Sonja. In fact, she begins to increase the size of her family ‘save’ more people.
Will we will meet Jesus in the midst of all this magical technology around us? Or will it be Satan we find?
Prayer
Savior, help me use the technology in my life to bless others. Let me reveal you in every way I communicate and interact with those around me. Amen.
