There may not be many shows as iconic as ABC’s television show LOST. Premiering in 2004 the series focused on a large cast of eclectic characters who find themselves on a not-so-deserted island after surviving a traumatic plane crash.
The program quickly gained a worldwide fandom of millions who tuned in weekly to dissect the many clues and mysteries about just what was happening on the island. However, the show also took time to develop its characters in a rich and deep way, using flashbacks, flashforwards, and flashsideways to showcase the many ways each character grew to become heroes or villains.
One of the most popular characters was LOST’s John Locke, a paraplegic who discovers that suddenly he can walk again on the island. Played by veteran character actor Terry O’Quinn, he would go on to be nominated for three Emmys for the role, taking home the statue for one of them.
John Locke from the moment of his miraculous healing became a man of deep faith on the island, believing they were there for a purpose. Often clashing with others who saw things differently John Locke followed a checkered path throughout his 6 season journey.
Rising from nobody to the leader of the “Others”, to eventually being hailed as the future savior of the island, things looked good for LOST’s John Locke. Until he goes on what is his most important quest, to bring everyone back after they have left, in order to fulfill their destinies and save the island. However he seemingly fails, no one listens to him, and he dies in a shanty apartment murdered by the hand of someone he trusted.
After his death, Locke is viewed with pity by many and even called a “Sucker” by the show’s main villain, who claimed to have manipulated Locke the whole time to achieve their goal. It seemed that Locke was in fact not that important and had overall failed to accomplish what he felt called to do.
Locke’s last words in a note were to Jack Shepard that read “I wish you had believed me” and his dying thoughts were “I don’t understand” It was a sad ending to a man who seemed like he would be the one to save everyone and the island from the forces of evil.
Then a funny thing happens, Locke’s death ends up becoming the catalyst that gets everyone to return to the island, and the legacy of Locke and his death ends up causing Jack Shepard to embrace faith, and his destiny on the island. Which leads to the defeat of the Man in Black. Late in the final season, Jack even says about Locke “Turns out he was right about most everything.”
What LOST’s John Locke teaches us about The Nature of Faith
LOST’s John Locke’s journey is somewhat depressing on the surface, it’s actully the perfect example of the Biblical idea of the fruits of faith not being seen by its adherents. John Locke died without having seen the results of his faith, or how his devotion was rewarded, it was not till the afterlife that he finally saw what his faithfulness had achieved.
In the book of Hebrews 11:1-6, it says
“Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
We see several examples in the Bible of people who lived lives of complete faith, yet never saw the results of it. John the Baptist was the herald of Jesus Christ, yet he was imprisoned, most of his followers left to serve Jesus, and in the end, he died alone by the hand of a mad king, never seeing the fruits of the faith he had in Jesus. Yet he is now remembered as one of the great patriarchs of the faith.
Paul the Apostle is remembered as one of the greatest fathers of Christianity, however, he also never saw the results of his faith. Beaten and imprisoned over and over again throughout his life, Paul felt alone and somewhat abandoned, saying in 2 Timothy
“At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me.”
He was executed by Nero and left to be forgotten to the sands of time. However, the Legacy of Paul lived on in his followers, who took up his mantle and fulfilled everything that Paul had hoped to do.
What LOST’s John Locke teaches us about The Nature of Faith
LOST took John Locke on this same journey of faith, raising him to extreme highs and the lowest of lows, John Locke’s ending was not the classic feel-good story we like to see on TV. We like to see the hero win and watch them emerge victorious. However that is not real life, heroes die without seeing the results of their work. Ssacrifice is also an aspect of faith, often a great sacrifice is needed to move things along.
John the Baptist said of Jesus “He must increase and I must decrease” his death was something that needed to happen to pave the way. In much the same way, Paul’s death helped to light a fire that brought more people to faith and helped spread Christianity over the world.
Without LOST’s John Locke’s death, Jack would have never risen to the occasion, Locke was a flawed person, he tried and failed so many times, and he was not the right person to save everyone. However, he was the only one who could pave the way for the eventual victory, his example was needed to inspire others.
Locke never saw the conversion of Jack Shepard and the fulfillment of his life’s purpose, but that is in a way what makes him so special. His journey of faith was very realistic, and something for us to remember when we get depressed about maybe seemingly not living up to what we feel we should. You never know what inspiration your life may be to someone else around you. You could very well be the catalyst for something incredibly important, you just may never know it.
On the journey of faith, what we do in life may seem small, we may even feel like we have failed at what we are called to do. However this is not always the case, in Matthew 11:11 Jesus said
“Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”
So don’t be discouraged if you feel like you are failing or not achieving what you hope to, you never know what God has planned and what role you be playing in something unseen to you.
