HowToSurviveAShutdown

A few years ago, my daughters and I watched the movie Creed, starring Michael B. Jordan. Halfway through the movie, when Adonis Creed was taking hit after hit and getting beat down badly, both of my daughters turned away and said, “Daddy, I don’t wanna see no more. He’s losing.” I told them to keep watching, because he’s going to win.

Later, one of them asked how I knew that when I hadn’t even seen the movie yet. I told them I knew because it was part of the Rocky franchise, and every film follows the same plot: There’s always the specter of defeat on the front end, but if you hold on, there will be victory on the back end.

I’ve been reflecting on that conversation as I think about the political brutality, social conflict, constitutional confusion, and economic chaos we are witnessing right now. It feels like we’re in a big fight, and we’re losing, but God told me to tell you to keep watching. He’s going to win.