Mary and I went to see the movie, Saving Mr. Banks, on New Years Eve. I'll never forget it. The story line was riddled with beauty, warmth, precision, meaning....and exceptionally grueling anguish for those of us who live from wounded hearts.
I cried hot crocodile tears from midway to the very end. As hard as I tried, the drops refused to stay at bay.
The true story of how Mary Poppins came about is riddled with confusion and frustration as the owner of the manuscript, an Aussie named Pamela, continually lobbed missiles of interference toward Walt Disney's highly imaginative vision. She was stubbornly contrary only to be matched by his stubborn relentlessness.
Pamela and Walt could not get on the same page because they both were already and more deeply on the same page than either realized. Odd, I know, but such is where much of the church tries to function. We tend to do battle because we have a history full of wounds influencing many of our divisive conversations.
Both Pamela and Walt had been severely wounded as children; that is the same page. Individual baggage, though, caused confusion between the two because an invisible and painful history tempered their words.
The story picked scabs from my heart and I began to bleed again. Pamela found her exasperated mother attempting suicide. The scene brought back the scenes when I was a small boy and found my dad lying in the floor unconscious from a failed attempt at the same thing. It was as if I was thrust back in time and I could not walk away.
But, of course, what absolutely floored me was Walt Disney's revelation near the end of the movie regarding his upbringing. It was a carbon copy to mine; even down to living in Missouri. I never knew he had such a history as mine. Oh, how I inwardly writhed in painful memory. His early days are so surprising in similarity that I believe I will most likely ponder such for the rest of my life.
Due to his wounds as a kid, Walt Disney launched a crusade to bring the masses joy.
He surely succeeded.
His gigantic imagination as a child and for children is known throughout the world.
On the spiritual side, my younger days have driven me to see that the beaten and injured have absolute reason to hope. Regardless of what seems to be the present state of any person, God has given me an obsession to reveal strong reason to believe according the measurement of Romans 4:17. God can make something from nothing and can cause dead things to live.
What could be of more impacting news to the downtrodden?
For now I would say to each who endures your wounded heart because of inherited pain, do what you can to remember the one who injured you was most likely raised as a child with a wounded heart as well.
Forgiveness is not only possible, it is essential.
The deep wonder of wounded hearts is that none of us drew the short straw. From experience, it can feel like it; but such is not the case. We have been given a wonderful gifts for both the celebrity and the homeless....and all in between. As Disney was relentless in bringing great excitement to children and adults, we have a far greater mission.
We can do it. Me must do it. We will do it. We have a Father who is Creative and we can be assured He will direct us to build a world of hope.
For us, the wonderland isn't called Disney World where people visit. It is called the Magnificent Kingdom of God where people live.
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