By Kirsten Nicole
June 23, 2023
Photo by Tim Foster on Unsplash
Today we're doing a character spotlight on one of the main characters from Foreseen!
Meda: A Possessed Slave
Meda is a slave girl who lives in Philippi during the time of Paul's missionary journeys. Philippi was a booming trade city with a heavy Greek influence. You can read about Paul's journey there in Acts 16. Some pretty miraculous things happened!
The character of Meda is based on a real person found in Acts 16.
Not only is Meda a slave girl, she is possessed by a demon who allows her to "see" the future. Because of this "gift," her masters make quite a bit of money on her fortune-telling. That is...until Paul comes along and casts the demon from her. While we don't know Scripturally what happened to her after Paul cast out the demon, I'd like to think that was the beginning of her salvation journey.
In our play, when Meda was very young, she showed signs of demon-possession and her family sold her to her current masters for a large sum of money. Her whole life has revolved around other people using her for her abilities. Her life has been one of bondage.
She lives with her masters--two brothers--and she spends her days giving fortunes to passersby in Philippi.
Even though she lives in constant spiritual darkness, she actually prefers when the "spirits" (demons) are in control, because then she doesn't have to think or feel. Someone else is in control, and she doesn't have to live with the reality of her circumstances. A sort of self-medication. In essence, she tries to escape the darkness...by running to the darkness.
While this provides temporary relief, it is not lasting. It makes her cynical, hopeless, and bitter. She lives in constant fear of her masters, and longs for release.
When Meda is ripped from demonic possession, her entire identity and source of value is stripped away and she is left in a terrible, endless void. Who is she? What is she good for? What is her purpose? What is her future?
And though she was unable to see it before, she eventually discovers there is only One who holds the futures she has been telling all her life.
Don't worry, Meda has a happy ending!
In our world of darkness, Aleah and I hope that Meda speaks to people who are trapped in darkness--mental, spiritual, or physical. There is beautiful, bright hope, but it is only found in one source. Jesus Christ. The one who holds our futures.
We are so excited to see your play Kirsten! It's gonna be amazing!