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Life
Inside the Box
by
Chaille Michael Brindley
Notorious
illusionist and showman, David Blaine, captured
headlines across the globe for his 44-day public
imprisonment and fast. Hoisted high above the banks of
the River Thames in London, Blaine lived in a 7 foot by
7 foot by 3 foot Plexiglas box. Spectators watched as he
endured the ordeal through the smells of street vendors
cooking food for onlookers, people taunting him and
physical exhaustion. Some view Blaine's stunt as a
spiritual event. Others think he just wants to grab
public attention.
A
friend and mentor called Blaine a 'shaman.' This friend
said to reporters, He (Blaine) believes it is important
to suffer. Blaine told reporters before entering the box
that he hoped to find his "truths. People camped
underneath the box with signs saying things like, The
butterfly will emerge from its cocoon. One person said
that Blaine will leave his ordeal, Physically thin
spiritually fat.
A
former street magician, Blaine specializes in feats of
endurance. At first people made fun of Blaine and hurled
insults at him, but as the days ticked on, there was a
growing public sentiment of amusement and respect for
his amazing endurance. Blaine entered the box with
allegedly only a quilt, a pillow, a journal, a change of
clothes and a photo. Blaine has spent his time
meditating, doing stretches, reviewing his journal,
resting and waving at onlookers. As he nears the end of
the ordeal, Blaine has been occasionally incoherent and
exhibited signs of delusion. According to his Web site,
Blaine may have to spend a month in the hospital
recovering.
Why
would somebody do something like this? How is Blaine's
ordeal a commentary on society? And why are people so
mesmerized by Blaine's stunt? Obviously, Blaine hopes to
receive global media attention and boost his career as a
result of the stunt. This can be noted by the fact that
Blaine did not choose to conduct his ordeal in private.
If all he wanted was personal fulfillment and spiritual
enlightenment, he would have conducted the stunt in
private beyond the eye of the camera. Yet no man could
go through something like a forced fast/isolation vigil
without having a tremendous amount of personal drive and
commitment. Something more than the almighty dollar must
be behind his endeavor. Maybe Blaine wants to prove to
himself how far he can push his body. Maybe by
completely denying his impulses and bodily desires, he
hopes to reach a higher state of spiritual strength and
enlightenment. I believe all of these things are likely
motivations. By pushing himself to his limits, Blaine
will find out what matters most. Anybody could say they
could endure a 44-day fast. But it is something quite
different to actually do it.
The
44 days of public imprisonment in a small cell would be
enough to drive many people crazy. But you add the
forced fast on top of that, and it is easy to see why
the stunt has attracted so much interest. People in
western society today are accustomed to feeding their
every craving and desire. From food to entertainment to
sex, people flock to whatever fulfills their momentary
whim. The idea of enduring trials, suffering, hunger,
and pain goes against everything considered to be the
goal of life. Struggle is bad. Convenience is good. Pain
is bad. Pleasure is good. You get the point. Blaine's
very mission goes against everything most people value.
People want freedom not restrictions. They desire to be
full not hungry. Is Blaine thumbing his nose at western
consumerism? Is he trying to make a statement? He seems
to be making one even if he is not trying to do so. The
magician, whether or not he knows it or not, is modeling
a lesson from the most radical man in history Jesus Christ.
Jesus
knew about suffering. He endured temptation to the point
of death and still did not yield to sin. He denied His
impulses, laid down His glory, endured unimaginable
pain, and died for those who despised Him. Although Blaine's
feat of endurance is truly amazing, it cannot begin to
compare with what Jesus went through on the cross.
Beyond the mere physical pain, the greatest struggle
must have come for Jesus as the Father turned His back
on the Son. Jesus felt what it was like to be separated
from the Father because of sin your sin and my sin. Yet
Jesus who for the joy that was set before Him endured
the cross (Hebrews 12:2).
Blaine's
stunt has shaken some because it has caused them to stop
and evaluate their lives. They have begun to realize how
worldly and hedonistic they have become. Most people
cant imagine going 44 days without food, water, a bath,
human interaction, freedom of movement, or even TV. I
feel the same way. I start to go crazy after two days
without a shower. Even many Christians have become so
overcome by the cares of this world that they have a
hard time detaching from it. Forget the food fast, could
you even separate from the world for 44 days to seek the
face of God? I probably would be tempted to seek human
interaction after day four.
People
today have become prisoners to modern conveniences.
Blaine makes us stop and think, Who is really a
prisoner? Blaine in a Plexiglas box or modern society
chained to its appetites? The cross is the furthest
thing from our mind. But those who have dared to seek
God and truly release their lives to Him have always at
one point faced the cross. It takes different shapes for
different people. Jesus said, If any man will come after
me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily,
and follow me (Luke 9:23).
Unfortunately,
Blaine can only go so far with his own strength.
Eventually, even the strongest human body and spirit
breaks down. Only God and His Spirit offer limitless
strength. Hopefully, Blaine came to this understanding
through his time of isolation and fast. Some people even
started to look to Blaine for spiritual answers. One
onlooker said, This morning a woman brought a dead
pigeon in a box. I think she hoped he could bring it
back to life.
But
only Jesus holds the answer and key to life. You can
spend a lifetime of personal discover in a Plexiglas box
and learn nothing of real spiritual value apart from
Jesus Christ.
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gink
(gingk) n. Slang: An odd or peculiar
person. [Cf. dial. E. gink trick]
