Today’s message begins a series that looks at a selection of movies and how they apply to our lives as well as how these movies tie in with various Biblical narratives.
We all have found that throughout our lives there are movies that we relate to and can really connect with characters in them. A lot of movies we watch portray people and stories that are true to real life. Why is that? Because we are all made in the image of God and therefore we are all related and connected to each other’s stories. Whether we know it or not we are all telling a story of God.
The two movies we looked at for this message were Despicable Me and Warrior. This message also explores the life of King David in the Bible. Through these movies and the Biblical narrative of the life of David we examined the idea of character.
Any interesting story always contains a villain, or bad guy who is seeking his revenge, or plotting destruction against someone. In Despicable Me we meet a villain who undergoes a transformation. Often times we see a villain and only see what is bad about him, forgetting the fact that he may not have always been that way.
Despicable Me gives a deeper look at a villain whose greatest motive is to make his mother proud of him. As a child, super-villain Gru was ignored and criticized by his mother. This criticism and lack of attention had a profound impact on him. As an adult his mother’s opinion is what matters most to him and he is willing to do anything necessary, no matter how evil, to gain his mother’s approval.
When we look at the life of David in 1 Samuel we see a young man who sought the Lord’s calling in His life. Even though his family may have had a different opinion of what he ought to do with His life. For David, God’s opinion mattered most.
There is a great contrast between the character of David and the character of Gru. The question we need to ask ourselves when we look at our own lives is whose opinion matters most to us? Do we care most about what God thinks?
What drives you to action? Why we do what we do is a direct result of what is going on inside our hearts. In the movie Warrior, the main character Tommy is carrying a heavy secret and with that a great deal of hate and hurt. Tommy allows his hurt and anger push him to take on impossible challenge of a mixed martial arts competition. He enlists his father a recovering alcoholic with whom he has a fractured relationship to be his trainer for the competition.
Tommy like the villain Gru in Despicable Me undergoes a transformation.
There comes a moment in the film Warrior when Tommy acts with compassion in spite of his own pain. When he sees up close and personal the deep pain of his father when he relapses in his journey of sobriety, Tommy cares for his father in kindness.
The question we need to ask ourselves is what we are driven by? Do unforgiveness, pain, and hurt dominate our hearts? Or are we driven by a deep inner peace that only comes from God?
Change of Heart
Sometimes we get stuck in a rut. Sometimes the right thing to do isn’t our first choice. Sometimes we let bitterness fester in our hearts because of pain and upsets. We can let history dictate what is possible in our present circumstances. Instead we need to learn to be open to the possibilities God has for us.
Tommy’s heart changed when he moved beyond his own pain and met his father in a moment of need with compassion. Super-Villain Gru’s heart changed when he traded in his lifestyle of being a villain to take on a new role of father to three orphan girls. King David allowed God to search His heart. David faced his choices in life with Godly convictions. He lived his life knowing He was intimately known by God.
We need to examine our own hearts to see where change is needed. We will reap what we sow. All of the characters we looked at today had to reap what they sowed, both good and bad. To finish well, to experience a true heart change, we must turn to God, confess our sin, and turn from regret, and let go of letting pain rule our hearts and lives. When we make good choices and live a life that follows God, we won’t regret what we do.