This last week my son and I finished reading the book, “A Wrinkle In Time” by Madeleine L'Engle. I told my son we couldn't see the movie until we finished the book, and even though he didn’t quite get why, he was motivated to complete it. We had a great mother/son date going to see the movie, but I would be lying if I didn't admit my disappointment with Disney's take on this treasured book. The undeniable Christian themes in the book were replaced with a universal religious message that didn’t resonate with me. (On a side note: I also felt rushed through the story and missed some of the scenes that were omitted from the book. I felt the depth of the story was lost as some of the modern elements inadvertently added a superficial quality that distracted from the overall themes).
Despite my criticisms, I still came away with some teaching points that Caleb and I discussed and were about to apply to our own lives.
1. The Importance of Parenting - In the end, Dr. Murry apologizes to his daughter, Meg, for missing out on 4 years of her life because of his tessering misadventures. He looks at her and says, “Instead of shaking hands with the universe, I should have been holding yours.”
Parents are people and we have our own dreams and aspirations and that is never wrong, but when those dreams supersede our role as parent we miss out on the greatest opportunity we have to shape someone’s life. Parenting is hard in the moments, but over before you know it. You can’t get that time back, so its important to give it your full attention. We have to be present as parents and this message met me loud and clear from the silver screen.
2. The Paramount Power of Love - Clearly when Charles Wallace is overtaken by IT, he is in all accounts, demon-possessed. IT uses fear, revenge and anger as its primary weapon in overcoming any and every target. Love, was the only thing that could overcome the evil of IT. Love is what Jesus did on the cross, he gave his life for all and cared for us in that act, despite our flaws. As Meg points out, love sees us for who we are and doesn’t quit in the midst of reality. That love is what defeated IT and returned Charles Wallace to his body and home. Love is what Christians are tasked to share with the world, regardless the circumstances.
3. The Significance of Facing Your Fears - Calvin’s relationship with his parent (mom in book vs dad in movie) is tumultuous at best. The fear he faces is referenced in movie and as the final scenes conclude, he notes that it took him a "trip around the universe" to face his fears. Finding Nemo is another movie that highlights this theme and its something we all need to learn. Fear is a prison and love is the antidote. It does take risk to face one’s fears, but even if you fail, you are stronger for trying, and its easier to dust yourself off and try again. Being free from fear is definitely worth any risk involved!
4. The Treasure Of Being You - We are imperfect people and our comparison game of why someone else is better than us or how “this one thing” would make us better is a lie and a trap. When we focus on what we wish we were, we miss out the beauty of who we actually are. Meg is a great example of this as she encounters her dream self and has to use her faults to save the day. This doesn’t mean we stop working at being better people, it just means we acknowledge the wonderful creation of God we truly are.
Do any of these speak to you in the reality of your life, today? Is there a challenge in these four points that can motivate you to explore outside your comfort zone and encourage you to grow as a person? Whether you watched the movie or not, loved it or hated it, I think the bonus lesson is no matter what, you can always glean from your experiences in life, fictional or otherwise! Happy Wednesday and beyond!!
No comments:
Post a Comment