We got into some deep conversations with comments like:
"I don't know if I'm saved Ate Aarika!"
"Even if you ask Jesus into your heart will he leave you when you're bad?"
"Do I have to ask him to come into my heart again?"
"If there is a war in heaven and you die...where do you go?"
"If you're bad will you go to hell?"
The questions were numerous and overwhelming and yet I couldn't help but love it, because as we get older we can come to feel self-conscious and lose our boldness in asking the important questions. We are taunted by the fear that society will shun us or think little of us and we know that it can be hard and dangerous to be out on that limb on our own.
But we must be consistent and we must teach our children to be this way also. We've got to keep heart and sometimes...draw inspiration from unlikely sources.
For example, today, while I was reflecting on VBS, I was watching Horton Hears A Who and this is what I heard:
(the scene where the Kangaroo is speaking out against Horton to the rest of the animals turning them into an angry mob)
Kangaroo: What is happening to the Jungle of Nool?! There once was a time when people were people and specks were specks! Well, I say if you can't see it, hear it, or feel it, it DOESN'T EXIST!! Our way of life is under attack! And who's leading that attack? Horton!
Kangaroo: Are we going to let troublemakers like Horton poison the minds of our children?!
Yummo the wikersham: Not the children!
Kangaroo: When Horton tells the children about worlds beyond the jungle, he makes them question authority! Which leads to defiance, Which leads to anarchy!!
Wikersham: Yeah! Horton must pay!
Deer mother: It's that speck!
Tommy's parent: We have to do something!
Mrs. Quillian: For the children!
Yummo: for the children!
Kangaroo: Are we going to let him get away with this?!
Every animal: NOOOO!
...
(When they've found Horton)
Kangaroo:(Has Horton surrounded) Stooop! (everyone stops)
Horton: Hey fellas. Good to see you, all at once. You look really great, as a horde.
Kangaroo:Horton, Horton, Horton, look at the mess you've created for yourself. All this hullabaloo over a silly little flower.
Horton: It's a speck!
Kangaroo:(Sarcastic) Right. I mean, it's silly really, all this talk of roping you and caging you and we won't need to get into the details. The point is this angry mob, all the trouble you're in, it can all go away. (everyone looks confused at this)
Horton: It can?
Kangaroo:Of course! All you have to do is admit, to everyone that THERE ARE NO LITTLE PEOPLE LIVING ON THAT SPECK! That you were wrong, and I was right. You do that, and things can go right back to the way they were. But, if you don't, you're going to have to pay the price. (The wikershams then bring up a huge cage, which Horton winces at)
...
So what have we learned?
Horton was faced with a very scary situation and it despite the fact that this movie is a cartoon and is fictional...the similarities are uncanny to that of Jesus and the Pharisees. After watching I had this vision and the whole story turned into this:
Pharisees What is happening to this world?! There once was a time when people knew their place and they didn't go around claiming to be someone they aren't. Our way of life is under attack! And who's leading that attack? That Jesus! Are we going to let troublemakers like him poison the minds of our children?!
Society: Not the children!
Pharisees: When Jesus tells the children about heaven and how He is the son of God, He makes them question authority! Which leads to defiance, Which leads to anarchy!!
Society: Yeah! Jesus must pay!
Mother: He's a liar
Parent: We have to do something!
Woman For the children!
Scoiety: for the children!
Pharisees: Are we going to let him get away with this?!
All: NOOOO!
...
(When they've found Horton)
Pharisees: Jesus, Jesus, Jesus look at the mess you've created for yourself. All this hullabaloo over a mere man.
Jesus: I am my Father's son
Pharisees:(Sarcastic) Right. I mean, it's silly really, all this talk of roping you and caging you and we won't need to get into the details. The point is this angry mob, all the trouble you're in, it can all go away. (everyone looks confused at this)
Jesus: It can?
Pharisees:Of course! All you have to do is admit, to everyone that YOU ARE NOT GOD NOR THE SON OF GOD! That you were wrong, and I was right. You do that, and things can go right back to the way they were. But, if you don't, you're going to have to pay the price.
...
And Jesus paid the price. He paid the ultimate price because He held onto the truth. What's even more amazing is that this story is still relevant today: As Christians we are faced with this negativity and it hasn't changed in all these years.
Society: What is happening to this world?! There once was a time when people knew their place and were logical about it! Well, I say if you can't see it, hear it, or feel it, it DOESN'T EXIST!! Our way of life is under attack! And who's leading that attack? Those Christians! Are we going to let troublemakers like them poison the minds of our children?!
Man: Not the children!
Society: When thoes Christians teach the children about heaven and hell and Jesus, they makes them question authority! Which leads to defiance, Which leads to anarchy!!
Man: Yeah! They must pay!
Mother: It's that book! That Bible of theirs
Parent: We have to do something!
Father: For the children!
Man: for the children!
Society: Are we going to let him get away with this?!
Everyone: NOOOO!
...
So I began to think, what would I say if this was turned to me?
Society: Aarika, Aarika, Aarika look at the mess you've created for yourself. All this hullabaloo over a silly little book,
Me: It's the word of God
Society:(Sarcastic) Right. I mean, it's silly really, all this talk of roping you and caging you and we won't need to get into the details. The point is this angry mob, all the trouble you're in, it can all go away. (everyone looks confused at this)
Me: It can?
Society:Of course! All you have to do is admit, to everyone that THERE IS NO GOD! That you were wrong, and I was right. You do that, and things can go right back to the way they were. But, if you don't, you're going to have to pay the price.
Will I choose the pay the price just as Jesus did? Will I choose to hold onto the truth, even if no one believes me and the chances of turning in my favor are slim? What will I say?
Hm. I'd like to think that I would say the same thing Horton says:
Horton:So I just have to say it isn't true. (Kangaroo smirks, certain of her 'victory'. Horton pauses am moment, then a look of anger and determination comes over him) Go ahead. Rope me. Cage me. Do whatever you want, but there are people on this speck and they have a mayor, who has 96 daughters and 1 son named Jojo, who all share a bathroom, whatever that is. And even though you can't hear, or see them at all, a person's a person, no matter how small. (Raises the clover, while the animals stop their angry bickering, and have looks of happiness, and hope now in their eyes. One wikersham even stops himself from eating a bug he just picked up)
Kangaroo: (For a moment, she looks touched) That was beautiful Horton. (Then the anger springs back to her eyes) Rope him! Cage him! And burn that speck in a pot of boiling besalnut oil! (The wikersham then shrugs, and eats the bug)
I want to say the truth just like Horton. When they ask me to deny my faith I want to look them in the eye and say the same thing. "Go ahead. Rope me. Cage me. Do whatever you want, but God is real and having a relationship with Him is the only way to be saved from this sinful life. And even though you can't hear or see Him at all. God is omnipotent and rules over all.
Haha, I don't know about the rhyming...but the message is clear. God is real and I want my faith to grow so big that it is undeniable just like He is. And I want the kids who I have to teach to want that for themselves too.
1 comment:
aarika this was very encouraging to read. :]
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