If you have kept an eye on movie and television trends, you would have noticed the current fascination with zombies.  Zombies are humans who have had the unfortunate experience of being bitten (infected), and as a result of that infection, die and come back to physical ”life” without any sense of memory, love, selflessness, care, concern, etc.  Zombies are “The Walking Dead” whom function completely out of instinct (eat and spread their infection).  Their physical bodies operate purely out of the instinctual need of self-survival, looking for uninfected people to feed on and infect.

I think our cultural fascination with zombies exists for a couple of reasons.  First, it feeds off of our fear of infection and a potential future pandemic.  With increased population and new increasingly contagious viruses, we are constantly under threat of a potential pandemic.  The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has even used the popularity of zombies as a fictional and exaggerated means to educate people about how to be prepared for a potential future pandemic.

Second, I think it critiques the perspective that views human beings as simply animals with complicated instincts.  This view understands humans as no more than instinctual creatures.

Humans, I would argue, are more than the pursuit of their primordial desires.  Being human is more than just about procreation and self-survival.  If this were our purpose and chief end, then people would not on a global level seek out love, higher purpose, meaning, and have an overwhelming belief in god.

One of the distinctions of being human is the ability to love sacrificially, help others generously, hope, seek meaning in life, and believe in something bigger than ourselves.

God created us as humanity and He wants us to live fully human lives.  He wants us to be in relationship with Him and with others.  He didn’t create, nor does He desire, a “Walking Dead.”  He wants people fully alive in Him.  Consider the evidence of those who follow Jesus, given in Scripture (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control).  This is God’s description of those who are fully alive in him.  These are the evidences of humans living fully human lives, devoted to God, living in relationship with others and empowered by His Spirit.

This description is more than the instinctual behavior of animals.  We are called to be more than zombies (controlled simply by animal instincts of survival and reproduction) but fully alive human beings (loving God and loving others).

This is the message of Jesus.  Jesus came so that we could experience life – abundant and eternal life.  Are you living a fully human life – devoted to God and empowered by Him?  If not, you need to know and experience Jesus!