The Donkey in Me

"I'm not watching the Harry Potter movies. And my kids aren't going to watch them or read the books either. They're about witchcraft!"
I've heard more than one person say this...or something like this more than once. It used to bother me when people said that because if we're going to use the logic that magic is bad and wrong and impossible, let's look at stories like "The Fox and The Hound", and "Star Wars." Those aren't real either...is a fox talking to a dog bad to watch because it's not real? (Might I add that those who haven't taken the time to read the books, or allow their children to read them or watch the movies are surely missing out on an adventure of the mind and of life itself. The moral of the HP stories is that each kid is created uniquely...special. I remember feeling like the odd kid at least once at all my new schools. I'm greatful for stories like this that help kids dig deep, use their strengts and find value from within.)
Ryan and I are self-admitted Harry Potter geeks. We also like the SCI-FI show, "Heroes". People flying, vanishing before your eyes, the strength to run so fast no one can see them. They light things on fire and their bodies heal themselves. Ryan still likes to watch the Sword in the Stone with Merlin the wizard. While I could sit here and elaborate on why I think these stories not only tell wonderful tales and take our kids on amazing adventures, they dig into parts of the imagination that only few tales ever will. I could spend time arguing that there's nothing wrong with any of these movies, even from a Christian standpoint, we are afterall called to use our MINDS (Mk. 12:30) while watching and reading and discussing and worshiping...but i'll not do that. I think it's clear how I feel about the shows.
Instead, i'll share the story that prompted me to come up and write this in the first place. One tale has stuck with me all these years. Pinocchio. Leah is watching it right now. I just went into the room with her to turn it off and get her ready for bed. I haven't seen the movie in years but the lesson stuck with me. I walked in during the part where the boys are being turned into donkeys for making bad choices. For violating their conscience they are punished...must pay the consequences. In the movie, they're actually put into crates and shipped off to slavery.
This struck me as interesting because when I think back to my childhood and all the books I read and all the movies I ever saw, it isn't the princesses and castles that stuck with me. It wasn't a sweet fairy that helped me learn the lesson that we must obey our conscience and that we must not lie. Certainly my parents taught me that through the scriptures and by example. I remember Pinocchio as the little boy that lied and had to pay the consequences. It is kind of a freaky way to teach kids not to lie, but I'd imagine any person you talk to would say that Pinocchio taught them not to lie. (As a side note, Ryan and I thought it best to allow Leah to watch the entire movie tonight. No need to let her go to bed thinking she'd wake up a donkey because she got time out twice today.)
Because isn't that the truth?! When we make poor choices, we must pay the consequences! We're told that we are "slaves to sin". (Jn. 8:34) God is JUST. Jesus wasn't a "fairy" that went around sprinkling dust on people, forgiving them, and giving them hugs and letting them cry on His shoulders. He turned over tables when people were making poor choices. (Jn. 2:15) He called people vipers! (Luke 3:7) Jesus showed us the ugliness of our sin. Not only by hanging on the cross, but by being honest with those who were disobedient and too arrogant to humble themselves before God.
I appreciate Pinocchio, because in that movie, we're led through a typical series of events of our human nature. We have a nice normal day, see a little trouble, dabble, ignore the conscience, get into trouble, pay the consequences for our choices. While we're not transformed into donkeys, we may have some lasting effects of our choices. We may hurt those around us that love us. We may harm our bodies by the choices that we make. We may permanently damage lines of communication with those we love.
At the end of the movie the fairy comes down and makes Pinocchio a "real boy" even though he made poor choices and hurt those around him. He learned a lesson and still he was transformed.
I'm greatful for the mercy that God shows us. "You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Rom. 5:6-8)
The ugly side of sin is that there has to be a sacrifice for redemption to occur. We're certainly not turned into donkeys as a sacrifice. Christ took on the humiliation and shame when He gave himself for me. The beautiful side of this is that God shows us mercy. Reality? I deserve to look like a donkey for all the poor choices i've made. I've always understood that sin is bad, ugly and harmful. Recently, i've had a personal epiphony with my own sin. It is real. It is human nature to sin. But we are called to live like Christ. (Eph 4:25-5:2) It definately shook me up. And I guess that's the purpose of Pinocchio and the donkeys.
Tonight Pinocchio reminds me of the consequences of sin. And my mind is led to the scriptures remembering that while I was still a sinner, Christ died for me. Mercy.