I wouldn’t say I’m a huge movie buff.. but when I’m in the “mood,” my idea of a good movie is one in which you leave inspired, motivated and educated…the most recent ones i’ve seen are Soloist and Ip Man.
but unfortunately not every movie produces this kind of after-feeling.. the average movie usually gives me the impression that we live in a dark, corrupted, immoral, crude world…
even though sometimes i leave feeling disgusted or even grieved…something i’ve come to realize is that movies, in a sense, represent what the “culture” of our world accepts, is entertained by, and believes in…
whether i like it or not — movies represent, well, reality. reality of the world we really live in.
so the past week i watched two blockbuster rentals with my cousin, Annie, ones in which were known to be “really good by the person at the blockbuster counter.”
Seven Pounds
and
Revolutionary Road
if you haven’t seen these movies and want to, well you shouldn’t read on…
i was really saddened by these movies, because they both have such sad endings. But instead of just saying, well I don’t like that movie because I didn’t leave inspired, motivated or educated… I was able to “theologically reflect” on these movies and think about how different these endings would be if the characters encountered Jesus in their life!
For example, in Seven Pounds, Will Smith’s main role was to “save” seven lives by donating certain organs to people he thought were “good” people, in order to “redeem” himself from killing seven people in a car accident caused by him 2 years ago. I think the idea that he wanted to “save” lives and help people is great, but he only did it out of a “guilt-ridden” conscience of what he had done, meaning I don’t think he would have wanted to do “good” to otherwise. so in the end he commits suicide so he can donate his organs to those who need it.
but what if he knew Jesus? knew that he had a hope in the fact that Jesus would carry his heavy burden of guilt/shame? That Jesus wanted him to live guilt-free! ..
The other movie, Revolutionary Road, is based out of what I consider a satire of the American dream. In the end, simply put because a married couple does not know how to be “content in every situation” and always dealing with the dissatisfaction of “what could be greener on the other side?” believe in the lies that “if this changes…then I’ll be happy.” Their marriage is ruined with infidelity, bitterness, neglect… and Kate Winslet dies by trying to self-abort her own baby!
What if this couple knew Jesus? There are so many things here to think about ! Their marriage would have the hope of love, communication, respect that comes from seeking to live out a God-honoring marriage…their mentality would be contentment with where they knew God was purposing them to be and they may truly value their own life as well as that of their unborn baby!
I know that there will probably never be a movie one day that shows what will happen when people choose to follow Jesus and how lives can be transformed….
but my hope to share this with you all is for us to be faced with the reality of the brokenness, despair and hopelessness in this world! There is a desperate need for the truth of Jesus to be known! That God has called us to a life filled with hope, redemption, and love through Jesus Christ.
How great is it when we walk in how God originally purposed us to be — a life knowing who we are in Christ! It doesn’t mean it’s a perfect life, but there is so much HOPE in TRUTH.
May we be encouraged to share this HOPE with those who are hopeless. 
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