How would you survive in a post-apocalyptic world? Imagine it: Society has collapsed, resources are scarce, and danger lurks around every corner. Would you band together with others, or would you close your doors and arm your walls? This was the central conflict Samantha and Kess struggled with in Ruins and Betrayal.
A Strong Defense
Trust is a liability. When you trust others, you let them in, enabling them to hurt you. “We can’t afford to be soft,” Kess thinks. “If we let outsiders in, they’ll disrupt our peace and take what we have.” She has plenty of experience to back this up; she knows who is not trustworthy.
Cultural Reset
“We have a unique opportunity,” she considers. The world before the apocalypse was filled with political rivalries and challenges. Now that her focus is smaller — just a single community — she sees an opportunity to return to traditional values and reject the diverse opinions that introduced challenges before. “Returning to a simpler life will give us a stronger foundation to restart.”
Finding Your Group
“Our resources are scarce,” Kess argues. By identifying the potential threats, they can ensure their access to resources and protection. The strong, unified core group within the settlement allows members to look out for each other and prioritize their collective well-being.
Cohesion
Enforcing group norms and rules provides a sense of unity and cohesion. The potentially hostile environment (and outsiders) increase the need for strict guidelines to maintain order and stability. We more easily trust those who are like us.
Living Like Jesus
All the previous points are great for short-term survival, but are they the right thing to do? If Jesus stood beside you after such a world-shaking event, would He be talking about “outsiders”, “culture”, and “protection”? Or would He be focused on reaching the lost, as He did throughout His ministry on Earth?
Luke 19:10 says, “For the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost.” This challenges us to rethink our approach to survival in a post-apocalyptic world, balancing our need for safety against our responsibility to extend love and compassion to those in need.
Tie-In: The Healing Order
The primary character for the entire series, Julia, knew she wanted to “change the world” when she was a teen in high school. In a sense, she was preparing for the apocalypse all her life, so she started the Healing Order as an organization to help people struggling to survive. But people are people, and not everyone shares her vision. Ruins and Betrayal documents the struggle of different characters as they try to follow that vision.
Would you stand inside the walls of your ‘protected community,’ or would you be outside it, looking for the lost?
If you are a premillenialist like I am it’s a moot point! Waiting for the rapture or “catching up”I Thess 14:15-17 or 1Cor 15:52.