The Real Hunger Games

Last year I read The Hunger Games for the first time.

Now I’m not here to dote on Suzanne Collins‘ work, but let me tell you: it was an incredible series. There was action, drama, battles, heartbreak, rebellions, good vs. evil, and so much more.

It remains one of my favourite series to date. Even more so now that the movie based on the prequel came out on the very day I made this post. (Coincidence, right?)

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

However, The Hunger Games is not one of my favourite series for the reasons you may expect.

First, let me give you a brief synopsis.

Here’s how the Hunger Games work: every year, two dozen children are sent as “tributes” to fight in a massive outdoor arena. To the death. On live TV. This competition is known as “The Hunger Games”. It’s meant to be the Districts’ punishment for their rebellion.

The Games set District against District, tribute against tribute, child against child. However, the real villains are the Gamemakers – the ones forcing the children into the merciless fight.

Upon finishing the books I got to thinking, and realized a grave truth.

The Hunger Games are not unlike our own world.

We – the countries, nations, and peoples of Earth – are the players, and the devil is the Gamemaker. We have been thrown into a dog-eat-dog, fight-to-the-death, last-one-standing fight, against people who aren’t actually our enemies.

As Ephesians 6:12 (NIV) says, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

All too easily we direct our vengeance, our frustration, our anger, and our hate against the people of this world. The same is true in the Hunger Games.

But people are not our true enemies. The “Gamemaker” – aka the devil – is the one manipulating us. And it’s up to us to realize who our true foe is, and who we should be fighting.

We have a choice.

On the one hand, we can let the devil’s “games” rule us, corrupt us, destroy us. We can let him turn us against the very people we’re supposed to be helping.

Or we can do what Katniss and Peeta did: one-up the Gamemakers. We can humiliate them by beating them at their own game.

Who’s tired of being a pawn for the devil’s entertainment?

Right now we’re forced to play in his arena. One day though – hopefully soon – Jesus will cause that arena to crumble. But until then, we have to remember who we’re actually fighting.

Throughout The Hunger Games the characters come to realize that the tributes they’re battling aren’t their true enemies. We need to keep the same thing in mind: people aren’t who we’re ultimately fighting.

Yet all too often we forget this, since we can’t see the devil. Just like in the Hunger Games, we often only see the people directly before us. Which is exactly what the Gamemakers want.

But if we want any chance at succeeding in the arena, and at conquering the true foe, we need to heed the words of Haymitch Abernathy.

“Remember who the enemy is.“