Happy Friday Friends!
I hope and trust this post finds you all having a great day and an awesome week coming to a close for you!
On Monday night my 6-year old wanted to have "special time" with Dad so he and I got our portable DVD player out, headed up to Mom & Dad's bed, snuggled in and turned on Pinocchio. Like all great teachers, the Little Teacher - or is it Preacher? The kid's amazing! (thank you for your grace in allowing me to be in love with my kids) - was still teaching, whether intentional or not.
Pinocchio...an animated film, released in 1940. You might be thinking, "Yeah Kev, I know. If you aren't truthful your nose grows." That was pretty much the extent of my knowledge of Pinocchio and, truth be told, I can't remember watching the movie in it's entirety when I was a kid though I am sure I did. Is your thought kind of like mine was before actually watching the movie? "Cute movie, good for the kids to see, I know my nose won't grow if I don't tell the truth...on with life, I have important things to do." I was absolutely blown away by what was really in Pinocchio. In fact, my 6-year old and I agreed that the whole Haslam family needed to see Pinocchio and, in another lesson to his Dad, my little Jiminy Cricket demonstrated sacrifice by giving up something he wanted to do so the whole family would have the time to watch the movie. This kid is challenging me!
So there is a little wooden character who wants to be a boy - he wants to find himself and to become what he is created to become. The Fairy Princess comes and tells him that he will become a boy - he will find himself and become what he was created to become - if he is brave, truthful and unselfish. He is told that he will have to choose right from wrong. Desperately wanting to become all that he was created to become he asks how he will know right from wrong. He is told that his conscience (you can call it your heart or the Holy Spirit if you want) will tell you right from wrong, it will guide you along the straight and narrow path (read that somewhere before!) and that it will keep him from temptations. When Pinocchio -really wanting to become all that he was created to become and therefore gathering all the information he can - asks what temptations are, he is told that temptations are "the wrong things that feel right at the time." Having gathered all the information he can, Pinocchio heads off on his journey to find himself, to become the boy he desperately wants and is created to become. Interesting isn't it? Even in an animated movie for kids the real meaning, the real significance is found in the journey.
Even though he is highly motivated to become all he is created to become, even though he has all the "facts", Pinocchio almost immediately gets sidetracked in the pursuit of quick, easy success. Does any of this sound familiar? Suddenly he is seeking applause, money and fame. Then, just as suddenly, he finds himself trapped, losing everything he truly desires in his heart and he is devastated. Even his conscience - Jiminy Cricket - thinks maybe Pinocchio doesn't need to choose right from wrong to be successful. Familiar? Have you seen or heard this before? It is only then through a mystical intervention (hmmm...heard about this kind of thing!) that Pinocchio is rescued from this pursuit of "success" and of course, he vows that he will never make those mistakes again and declares he is going to become all that he was created to become.
In very short order Pinocchio gets led down a path where he is told he can go do anything he wants to do - the movie shows smoking, drinking, fighting, vandalism, etc. - without, he is told, any consequences. For a while it is fun, everyone is having a great time...until they all realize that they are being turned into donkey's (the movie actually says Jackasses) to be sold for a price. As each of the boys with Pinocchio realizes what is happening to him he cries, he begs to go home...to be what they were created to become. When there is only one other boy left with Pinocchio, Pinocchio realizes what is happening and turns away from these things. He still has the scars of his choices - donkey ears and a donkey tail - however he stops before he completely goes down the path of becoming a Jackass. Does any of this sound familiar to you? I know I have seen, heard and lived parts of this before...and I wasn't looking at a movie screen!
Finally, no longer focusing on worldly success or on doing whatever he wants to do, no longer focusing on his hopes or dreams, Pinocchio gives of himself selflessly, completely and in the process, becomes all that he was created to become - all that he desperately wanted to become. It is worth noting that for a brief moment, it appears as though he has lost his life. I will just let that speak to your heart and my heart however it will.
So sure, you can think Pinocchio is a movie for little kids about being honest and if your not, your nose will grow. By the way, it is interesting to me that the one thing you hear most often about the movie was a scene that maybe lasted 2 - 3 minutes and I would argue, was maybe not even the main point intended by the creators. I would like to encourage you however to look for, find and give great counsel to your Jiminy Cricket.
Please let me know if there is ever anything I can do for you or your family. I will always be willing to help you any way I can.
Have a great day, a wonderful weekend, cherish your precious families and, if you get the chance, maybe think about watching Pinocchio with your family and friends this weekend.
Kev
No comments:
Post a Comment