Japanese Drama Review 18 - Hanayori Dango Episode 1 - Fear Disrupted

How much power is found in a word? Stop, is one of them. It can surprise, shock, offend or ignite anger. Furthermore, it can cause changes – good and bad, as well as challenges – challenges to the one calling for an end to behaviors and challenges as the listener grapples with the demand given them – stop. Determining an end to bullying always brings with it consequences. The result can bring difficulties, ostracizing, loss of position, friends and antagonism. Revenge can be a consequence!

The offender will consider themselves ridiculed – mocked, and belittled. Tsukasa does – he walks away quietly. He has been scorned. Makino’s recompense for a moment of bravery is a red notice. ‘Makino Tsukushi in class 2-C got a red notice,’ is shouted throughout the halls of Eitoku. This is the first time a girl has received a red notice.

How cruel when the student body turns on Makino. Their attitudes and snickering are more hurtful than their actions. The sneers, mocking and scorn of their voices will hurt far more than the garbage and indecent actions taken against her. Her new friend – Sanjou – shuns her. Makino is alone – no-one comes to her defense.

Have you ever experienced anything similar? Your family, community or work colleagues turn against you for some inexplicable reason. You did all that you considered right and honoring in your actions – and it backfired. You’re left alone!

As much as these events are very hurtful to Makino, they are an excellent opportunity to prepare not only Makino, but her peers too, in ways to live out their Christianity in a fallen world. This kind of treatment is nothing new to those who choose to walk closely and follow hard after Christ. Being mocked and ousted, teased, and tormented is nothing new to believers. Often this will be the response of family, friends, colleagues, and yes, it can come from within the church too. Are you ready? Are you prepared? How will you respond?

How will you disciple others to respond in a Christ-like way when they are persecuted for their faith? Read through the verses below, share them with your fellowship group. Talk about them, and their relevance to what we are called to experience.

• Do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you (1 Peter 4:12-14).

• For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God (1 Peter 2:19-20).

• We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us (Romans 5:3-5).

• I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings (Philippians 3:8-10).

#Japanese #drama #fear