Upon hearing the news of the 2012 Aurora movie theater shooting that occurred where his film The Dark Knight Rises was playing , director Christopher Nolan had this to say: ” I believe movies are one of the great American art forms and the shared experience of watching a story unfold on-screen is an important and joyful pastime. The movie theatre is my home, and the idea that someone would violate that innocent and hopeful place in such an unbearably savage way is devastating to me.”
After that shooting happened, ticket sales for movies that summer dropped drastically. While many still went to see The Dark Knight Rises, it took some time before people returned to their habitual “movie-going” ways. Yet, it wasn’t long before the box-office was booming yet again, and just three years later, the public has now made a long overdue dinosaur sequel, Jurassic World, the third highest grossing film of all time.
Yet, tonight in my home state of Louisiana, another shooting has happened. This time also during a movie showing, called Trainwreck. And once again, an important “pastime” to so many Americans was abruptly interrupted and as of now, two have lost their lives.
Over the past three years and every summer for the past decade, I have gone to more movies than I could count. I would imagine there are probably very few who have watched more movies than me on a yearly basis. Over the past two months, however, I have gotten to do more than just go to movies; I have gotten to work at an actual movie theater.
One thing I have gotten to do, and been rather good at, is taking tickets. Each week, knowing how the box office works, I have been able to somewhat predict, as I watch people enter the doors and come towards me with their snacks, exactly what movies they will be seeing, so that the process of “taking tickets” can be more swiftly done.
For example, this week, I could tell you that of all the high-school/college kids and couples on dates, most came to see Ant-Man. Looking back, the only regret I had was possibly misleading some to the 3D screening instead of the normal one down the hall. Thankfully, I breathed a sigh of relief as no one came storming out of theater #6.
Tonight, I went to the gym, walked a mile on the treadmill and then left. As I shut the gym door, turned on my phone and looked at Facebook to discover the news about tonight’s shooting, I was reminded of one thing, one thought which assailed my thoughts as I walked home.
Of all the tickets I tore Tuesday, I tore about a handful for Trainwreck, the very same movie shown in Lafayette, LA where tonight’s shooting occurred. “It could have happened here, in Fort Collins,” I thought and pondered over how the people I gave those tickets to, some of which yelled at me from down the hall to verify where the movie was playing, may never have lived to see that “train wreck” end.
It has been over a decade since I’ve led anyone to Christ. After middle school, where I was “on fire,” I was open about my faith but I never really took the time to share the gospel fully again.
Tonight, I realize I have a responsibility. Every time I work at the theater, tear someone’s ticket, I lead them into a man-made portal of fantasy. Some “portals” are uplifting, others are not. Yet, for every “doorway” I tear tickets for, there are desperate people looking for an escape, looking for fulfillment and peace.
While it is not my concern which “doorway” they choose to follow, it is important to treat them well, to love them like Jesus, and if given a chance, to share the gospel. For though I am weak and simple-minded, God can still use me to model Christ and lead people to Jesus. The even more miraculous thing is, he can use each and every one of you, if you simply follow him and believe.
Romans 8:37 NIV
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
Until Next Time,
Jacobo
The Adventures of A Warrior 