My husband and I were talking recently about addictions.  Why, if we have the resurrection spirit of the Living God inside us do we have such a hard time overcoming addictions? It’s like, we look the addiction in the face and it seems so huge that we can’t slay it.  It’s bigger than us, stronger than us, outthinks us and sabotages us.  It crushes us into submission. 

 An addiction is our own personal a villain.  Think about it – when you consider taking it on, do you stumble, do you wonder how you’ll accomplish it?  Does it feel undefeatable?  Does it feel personal – especially when you look at other people who aren’t attacked by that addiction? 

 But I’m not here today to talk about addictions.  Or even the fact that the Living God CAN help us overcome them.  BUT – Villains, and how a great villain must have powers EQUAL or GREATER THAN the hero.   It must be bigger than him, or stronger than him, it must be able to out-think the hero, and even lay in wait to ambush him. 

One of my favorite villains of all time is the Wicked Witch of the West.  Our theater is doing that play this fall in school and I have deep hopes that my daughter will land the witch role.  (She’s a sweetheart down to her core, BUT, let me tell you, she could probably pull off the witch.  I’d coach her.)  I used to lay in bed after the Wizard of Oz every year, listening to the witch cackle in my mind and tremble.  There was even a lady at my church who LOOKED like the witch and every time she came near me I went running. 

 What made the witch so scary?  Well, first she was believable – she rode in on a broomstick and terrified the munchkins.  And then it got personal (I’ll get you my pretty, and your little dog, too!).  And then….she seemed to be unbeatable.  She could see in her little crystal ball what Dorothy was doing, and she had those scary monkeys, and most of all, we knew she wanted those red slippers – a goal that was equal to Dorothy’s goals of getting home.  Her powers were bigger than Dorothy’s, and it seemed she was out-thinking our singing heroine, and she even ambushed her (in a field of poppies). 

 A great villain, whether it be something inside us, or a green witch chasing us down a yellow road has to be seemingly UNBEATABLE. 

 And the goal of the hero then…is to find their weakness, whether it be a pot of water (I’m melting, I’m melting!) or the Sword of Truth (the Word of God!) and defeat the enemy.  

Tomorrow, look for the final key to a great villain – and keep submitting those comments about villains – we’ve gotten some great insights from our fellow voices!

 I’m hitting the road for California tomorrow! I’ve never been west of Utah, so this will be fun! I’m seeing an old missionary pal, and then headed to the RWA conference.  (Hope to see some of you there!)   Have a great day!