A House of Dynamite

Watching "A House of Dynamite" on Netflix last night left me with a vivid impression. In the film, an unidentified nuclear missile heads toward Chicago, and leaders have just 18 minutes to decide how to respond. The President himself calls this precarious nuclear world "a house of dynamite"—one spark, and everything explodes.

But aren't we all living in our own houses of dynamite? Not literally, of course—but every day we fill our lives with combustible material: egos, grudges, unspoken resentments, pride. We carry these volatile emotions into our homes, our workplaces, our relationships. One wrong word, one trigger, and things blow up.

Dismantling the Explosives Within

What if we gave everyone—including ourselves—a break? What if we started emptying our egos and dismantling the most combustible material within us? Imagine defusing those hidden bombs before they go off: forgiving quickly, letting go of offence, releasing the need to always be right.

This idea isn't new. The Bible has long taught about cleansing our hearts and homes so that God's presence can dwell there:

• Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me." (Psalm 51:10)

• Come close to God, and God will come close to you... purify your hearts." (James 4:8)

• If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him." (John 14:23)

The "house" in Scripture is often a metaphor for our inner lives—the dwelling place of our soul. When we cleanse our hearts from pride, anger, and bitterness, we make room for peace, love, and God Himself to move in.

A Choice We Make Daily

Director Kathryn Bigelow says the "explosion" she wants from "A House of Dynamite" is the conversation it sparks afterward. Maybe that conversation should start with us asking: What am I carrying that's about to blow? What do I need to let go of today?

Living in a house of dynamite doesn't have to be our fate—not globally, and not personally. We can choose to dismantle, to empty, to cleanse. And when we do, we create space for something far better: grace, connection, and the quiet presence of God in our everyday lives.