Dramatic Irony

If you're a bookworm, you'll know this struggle. If you are into any form of fiction, be it a novel, a movie, a TV show, a play, etc., you will understand this frustration. It is an issue that authors write into their stories intentionally, to entice the audience, and build suspense.

Dramatic Irony is a literary technique where the audience knows something that the characters do not. It is a device used to create tension... the author will give something away- a major plot twist- but will keep the story's characters in the dark.

A famous example of dramatic irony is William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Right from page one, Shakespeare gives away a clue to how the play will end. He introduces the two protagonists, Romeo and Juliet, but calls them "Star-cross'd Lovers." (In other words, their romance is doomed to end in tragedy.)

Throughout the play, the audience knows that their love story will not have a happy ending, but there is nothing they can do. They have to bear it and watch as these two characters, whom the audience grows to love more and more as the play progresses, spiral downwards toward their imminent deaths. As the scenes switch between the two lovers' tales, the audience must watch in agony as the plot thickens, and things start to go wrong. They must watch in silence as the characters make mistake after mistake and blunder after blunder, and approach their unavoidable, tragic end. That's dramatic irony.

Perhaps you've experienced it. Watching a movie, even after seeing it many times, and shouting at the actors on the screen, "DON'T GO IN THERE!" "LOOK BEHIND YOU!" "DON'T TRUST HER!" You know what is going to happen. The director revealed it to you beforehand. But all you can do is watch and wait. You know that the plot has already been written, and it cannot be changed. You know that the story must unfold in this way, however unbearable it may seem. You know what is up ahead, but you must watch your beloved characters make their mistakes and go through their troubles along the way. That's dramatic irony.

Or maybe you know a secret that your favourite character does not. Maybe they believe that something has happened; maybe they think that their loved one is dead... but you know the truth. You know that they will be reunited- and that the sorrow will be temporary. However, you cannot skip ahead. The story cannot simply fast-forward to the joy. No, for the story to be complete, the character must first suffer. It's all part of the plot. The ups, the downs, the twists, the turns... it's all necessary. It's all we, the audience, can do not to shout, "It's going to be okay! You'll see!" We know what will happen, but the character must first experience the pain. The sorrow. This is the time for character development. This is the time for decision making. This is the nail-biting torture that the audience must endure. This is dramatic irony.

Psalm 139:16~

You saw me before I was born.

Every day of my life was recorded in your book.

Every moment was laid out

before a single day had passed.

Read that again. Try to get your head around that. God imagined your story before a single day of your life even occurred. He recorded every detail. He gave you freedom of choice beforehand- but He sees what choices you will make. He knows. He knows what you will eat for dinner next Tuesday. He knows what school you're going to go to. He knows who you will marry. He knows. He also knows the pain you're going through right now. He knows your thoughts, and he knows the thoughts of the person that is causing you grief. He knows your anger, he knows your sorrow, he knows your stress. He knows your worry. He knows. And not only does he know what's killing you... but he knows how it is going to resolve. He knows the ending to this chapter. He knows how you are going to pull through in the end, and he knows when that relief will come. He knows how it will happen. He knows where it will happen. He KNOWS. 

Does that sound familiar? Does that sound any bit like an audience who knows what lies ahead, but must endure with the character until that point? Does that sound any bit like an author who writes the sad part of the story for the main character, and has to live in that grief, but knows full well the joy that is just up the road? 

God is just like that. He sees where you are right now, whether you are at a high or a low, and he's there WITH you. He's crying with you, he's laughing with you. And wherever you are... he's also just waiting for what's coming up ahead. He saw it coming a million miles away. He knows what's around the corner- even though you don't. Whether it's a wonderful surprise or a sudden tragedy, a gift or a loss, progress or destruction... he sees it already. That's dramatic irony.

But... this dramatic irony is a bit different. Usually, the author, the playwright, the reader, and the audience is living in a different world than the characters in the story. They are limited that way. That's why they can't warn the characters. That's why they can't comfort them. That's why they must read on in silent agony. But our author is different. He walks with us through our struggles, but he is there as a confident. He enters our stories, himself. He sends his very own spirit to experience the ups, the downs, the lefts, and the rights, with us. He never leaves us. He embarked on our journeys with us, from the moment we were conceived, and if we abide in him... he will walk with us straight into eternity.

What's keeping him from warning us, then? Why does he keep our future a secret? Why won't he tell us what's up ahead? Fair questions. Annoying questions. Punch-a-pillow questions. It's as frustrating as being a reader who can't tell their favourite character that they're walking into a trap, or that they're going the wrong way. But this is what is amazing about the way God has planned our lives. He's writing it like a story. If he told us what was coming next, why would we need to trust him? If he told us how our lives would end up, why would we bother seeking him? If he told us where the risks we take would bring us... what would be the point of faith?

It's a one-of-a-kind relationship between the author and the character. The author has it all figured out, and it is up to the character to rely on him. We can talk to him, cry to him, shout to him, whisper to him, read about him, sing to him, and listen to him. We may be scared, angry, sad, confused, or doubtful, and rightly so! We have NO idea what tomorrow will bring. However, it is not our job to know. We are JUST like the character in the book makes it to the end, even though they had no clue what was up ahead. The author knew. That's the author's job. 

Matthew 6:27,31-34~

Can all your worries a dd a single moment to your life?

So don't worry about these things, saying, 'What will we eat? What will we drink?

What will we wear?' These thoughts dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, 

but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God 

above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. 

So don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring it's own worries.

Today's trouble is enough for today.

It's His job to know. It's your job to trust. It's my job to take it by faith. It's our job to turn to him for comfort, for truth, for everything. This life is a journey that can be taken by two partners: one knows what's up ahead, and one doesn't. But they're in it together.

That's dramatic irony. It's beautiful, it's annoying, it's bewildering.

But it's also reality.

Small 'g'

Philippians 2:6-10~

Though he was God,

he did not think of equality with God

as something to cling to.

Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;

he took the humble position of a slave

and was born as a human being.

When he appeared in human form,

he humbled himself in obedience to God

and died a criminal's death on a cross.

Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor

and gave him the name above all other names,

that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,

in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 

and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.

Every person on earth gets a choice with the power to either save, or condemn them. Every. Person. Each individual gets to decide who they will follow. We all get to decide who will be the 'Lord' of our lives. 

Whether we confess to be religious or not, we all serve something. We all place gods before us, and often we don't even realize it. The problem is, these gods can be sneaky. Even Christians, who desire to have no other god before THE God, sometimes slip into serving other masters by accident. 

It's frustrating. In a land of plenty, a place where we can have anything we want, it is hard to keep God #1 every minute of every day. But why, when we have the option to be guided by the One who knows everything, do we sometimes choose to follow others?

What's the god that sometimes steals your attention, and why? What is it that your false god offers you, that can be so tempting?

Is it food, that gives you satisfaction for a while? Is it popularity that gives you confidence? Is it affection that gives you meaning? Is it your talent that gives you a purpose? Is it sleep that gives you rest? Is it money that gives you prosperity? Is it yourself, that gives you power?

I, too, fall into serving these gods. I go momentarily blind, and cannot see past my immediate wants. I turn to things of this world, seeking temporary happiness. But what do these gods give me? Hollow satisfaction. They lie to me. They lie to you. They give us imaginary hope, and then bring destruction to all who lean on them for security.

But my GOD died for me. My God, greater than anyone and anything, died for me, His own subject. My God gives me eternal life. My God gives me hope, a future, and never-ending love.

This is what my God does for me:

Titus 3:6-7~

He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through

Jesus Christ our Savior. Because of his grace he declared us righteous

and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life.

Romans 5:8-9,11~

But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us 

while we were still sinners. And since we have been made right in God's sight

by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God's condemnation. For since

our friendship with God was restored  by the  death of his Son while we were

still enemies, we can certainly be saved through the life of his Son. So

now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with

God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us

friends of God.

Romans 8:11,14~

The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, LIVES IN YOU.

And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your

mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.... For all who

are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.

I've barely begun to list everything that God has done, is doing, and is yet to do for us. He created us unique. He named us. He created this world for us. He gave us the key to life. He gave us His Word. He allows us to come to Him freely. He sent His own PERFECT Son to pay the price we owed. He forgave us. He healed us. He showed us the path. He resurrected Christ, so that we would not have to be slaves to sin any longer. He freed us. He gave us a choice. He gave us eternal life. He's preparing a place for us. He speaks to us. He adopted us. We love him, because He First. Loved. Us.

After everything that Jesus has sacrificed for us... we should be in love with Him. Every time we hear His name, we should feel a thrill! We should be getting shivers every time we sing to Him. Every time He is mentioned, we should be grinning with joy and pride thinking, Every time we see His hand at work, we should be laughing with delight, thinking "That's MY Father! That's Him! Right there!" We should be the most excited human beings on planet earth, if we are truly in love with a God that gave Himself, so that He could bring us to Paradise forever! Why would we ever even speak His name half-heartedly?
"That's MY God!"

While other religions have leaders and gods that require death, human sacrifice, pain, torture, and hatred... We serve a God who requires love. Love for Him, and love for our neighbor. He offers a way of life better than anything else. So what are we doing putting Him in second place in our lives?

If you find any god that has done that for its followers, let me know! I have yet to meet anyone or anything that gives even a fraction of what God gives us. In return for everything He offers us, He asks only that we follow Him, so that He can make our way straight! He asks for our obedience, so that He can give us meaning and purpose in our lives. There is no other god like our God! There is no other god that deserves our obedience more than Him.

He's the Alpha, Omega, Beginning,  and end. He's my Saviour, Messiah, Redeemer, and friend.

My God DIED for me. What did your god do for you?

Happy Easter!