Welcome to the summer edition of the Gospel According to. Because I am working at one of my favorite places on earth this summer, we’ll take this opportunity to look back on everything the Lord has taught us in the past several months on The Fangirl Fulfilled. To start it off, we have one of my favorite series in the history of the Universe, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. Enjoy!
1. “Pure As the Driven Snow” from The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
First on this list is the song Lucy Gray Baird sings to Coriolanus near the end of their (very tragic and painful) love story. In it, she describes the difficulty of remaining pure and righteous in a harsh world, and how she needs, loves, and trusts Coriolanus and his purity. In the same way, we desperately need Jesus to save and sanctify us; as we become more mature in our faith, this need becomes a genuine love and affection for Him; and with this comes trust, which is the strongest expression of love we can give.
2. “Hope is the only thing stronger than fear.” – President Snow, The Hunger Games movie
Next on our list is a quote from President Snow in the Hunger Games movie. When asked what will keep the people from completely giving up on life, and why the Hunger Games are so successful, he responds with “Hope. It is the only thing stronger than fear.” This quote was especially relevant in the midst of 2020, when the only thing we could do was look out our windows and hope that someday the world will return to some semblance of normalcy.
Ultimately, the most sure source of hope that we can turn to, more trustworthy than the goodness of humanity or the government or ourselves, is Jesus.
3. “I am not pretty. I am not beautiful. I am as radiant as the sun.” – Katniss, The Hunger Games
These words were spoken by Katniss Everdeen herself as she stood in one of Cinna’s masterful dresses in the Capitol. His work, which framed and accentuated her natural beauty and spirit, invoked a reaction of awe and wonder in a girl who had rarely seen, much less paid attention to, beautiful things in her life. In the same way, we as believers are clothed in the righteousness of Christ, making us radiant and flawless in His eyes.
When we focus on the Lord, we naturally reflect His character to the people around us: “Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never darkened with shame.” Psalm 34:5
4. “You have no idea, the effect you can have” / “No one can help but admire your spirit.” – Peeta and Cinna, The Hunger Games
I know I’m not the only one who has wished to be like Katniss. But what if I told you that we could become like Katniss in a way, while bringing about the advancement of the Kingdom of Heaven? When we let the Spirit of God speak through us, the people around us can’t help but notice (Matthew 5:14-16) and we can have a powerful effect for the Kingdom (Colossians 4:5-6).
“Dark Days” – Love will see us through.
Remember when the first Hunger Games movie came out and a bunch of artists got together and made an unofficial-official soundtrack? This song by Punch Brothers, which describes the Dark Days of Panem, suddenly gained a new meaning in the last year or so. I think we all discovered the power of love and relationship to get us through the dark days we experience.
Mockingjay Armor (of God)
One of the most impactful Hunger Games moments for me is when Katniss catches sight of Cinna’s Mockingjay armor and all the detail and attention he put into it. That armor goes on to protect her life on multiple occasions and ends with the defeat of the Capitol, once and for all. The description of the Mockingjay armor reminds me of the Armor of God passage in Ephesians 6:10-18.
“You love me. Real or not real?” – Peeta, Mockingjay
Next up is a quote that I haven’t had the chance to dig into in depth just yet, but it is so, so gooood! Peeta asks Katniss this question at the end of their character arcs, after years of trusting and depending on each other for survival, which turns into friendship, which turns into one of my favorite fictional romances EVER (and don’t even try to convince me otherwise lol). Anyway, Peeta is exceptionally patient with Katniss, not asking her for more than she feels ready to give while showing her the most unconditional of love in return. And eventually, Katniss does respond to this, and they all live happily ever after the end 💖.
What does this have to do with Jesus? Let me tell you friends: Jesus shows us the same unconditional love that Peeta shows Katniss, multiplied by infinity, and then asks us to respond in kind. See His conversation with the apostle Peter in John 21:15-19 for more, and stay tuned for a full post on this quote.
“Will you stay with me?” “Always.” – Katniss and Peeta, Catching Fire
My all-time favorite quote from the Hunger Games universe, this shows Katniss, who usually makes every effort to hide her vulnerability from the world, asking for help. And of course Peeta, in true Bestest Boi form, comes to her aid. In the same way, when we ask for it, God promises to be with us and go before us, comforting and strengthening us in every way: “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6
I hope you’ve enjoyed this round-up of all the times Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games universe taught us about Jesus without her knowledge. If you did, please be sure to go read the full posts, and let me know what other Hunger Games quotes and lyrics I should write about.
Happy fangirling!
