... cease to do evil,
learn to do good;
seek justice,
correct oppression.

Isaiah 1:16-17

Now that U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright has publicly declared her adoration of Xena: Warrior Princess, I don't feel like such a weirdo anymore. I have long admired Xena for her many, ahem, characteristics.

One of the things I most admire about Xena is how she embodies so many Christian principles. True, her adventures all take place before the founding of the religion, but many of the underlying themes are the same. [For a more in-depth study of this topic, see my article: 7 Lessons on Christianity from Xena Warrior Princess]

Whenever I read these words from Isaiah I think of the Warrior Princess. For those who do not know the show, Xena was a peasant girl, who raised an army to defend her home village when it was attacked by a warlord. She quickly became the thing she hated, and amassed her own army to conquer and pillage the villages around her. It was her encounter with Hercules that convinced her to cease doing evil, and learn how to do good. Now she roams the countryside seeking justice and correcting oppression.

Certainly Xena is fictional character, but what a strong message she sends on how to resist evil and do good. Anyone, from a once ruthless warlord, to me, an anger filled reluctant servant of God, can turn from their past sins and fight for the greater good.

That doesn't mean we don't slip up a few times. Xena even falters and turns to her darker side on occasion. We all do. Through God's grace we are given the strength to try again. Eventually, it gets easier to resist returning to our sins of the past. We are made new creations as we learn to do good, seek justice and correct oppression.

Blessings,
Candace