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REVIEW: ‘Maleficent: Mistress of Evil’ is dark … and redemptive?

REVIEW: ‘Maleficent: Mistress of Evil’ is dark … and redemptive?

The Disney film ‘Maleficent: Mistress of Evil’ opens this weekend—the second chapter in a modern retelling of the ‘Sleeping Beauty’ story.

Aurora is an optimistic and kind young woman who is queen of the Moors, a magical land where fairies roam and plants obey orders.

She’s also an idealistic leader who believes her subjects can broker peace with Ulstead, a bordering land inhabited by creatures—humans—who have long been at odds with the Moors.

Yes, Aurora is a human, too, but she was raised by fairies. She even considers an evil fairy named Maleficent to be her fairy godmother.

Aurora, it seems, is the ideal queen to bring the two sides together—a notion that is bolstered when Philip, the son of the king of Ulstead, asks her to marry him.

But then Maleficent forbids the marriage. And then she goes on an out-of-control rampage destroying parts of the Ulstead castle and apparently killing the king, too.

It appears the two kingdoms will be at war—forever.  

“Love doesn’t always end well,” Maleficent says.

The Disney film Maleficent: Mistress of Evil (PG) opens this weekend, starring Angelina Jolie (Kung Fu Panda series, Salt) as Maleficent, Elle Fanning (Maleficent, Astro Boy) as Aurora, and Michelle Pfeiffer (Ant-Man and the Wasp) as Queen Ingrith of Ulstead.

The movie is a sequel to the 2014 movie Maleficent, which was loosely based on the 1959 animated film Sleeping Beauty. Both Maleficent films, though, add major plot twists the box-office original did not. 

Much of Mistress of Evil is thematically dark, even though you’ll leave the theater feeling upbeat (More on that below, if you’re curious). Visually, the film is stunning, thanks to colorful landscapes, a larger-than-life castle, cute and other-worldly creatures and CGI effects that make you feel like you’re there.

But that realism has a tradeoff for young children: Much of the film will be too violent and too disturbing for young children, if not for a few older ones, too.

Warning: moderate/major spoilers!

(Scale key: none, minimal, moderate, extreme)

Violence/Disturbing

Moderate. Maleficent, with black wings and black horns, may scare children. The film opens with a nighttime scene in which Maleficent corners two men who had snuck into her kingdom. Maleficent—who can control nature—uses tree roots and vines to capture them. Later, we hear someone call her a witch. We watch her shoot green lightning-type bolts from her fingers at people. We see someone shot (with a crossbow) and fall into the ocean. Winged creatures that look a lot like Maleficent rally to go to war with the humans. We watch as fairies are locked in a room and many of them killed with a red powder in what looks like an attempted genocide. A secondary character dies; we watch his spirit leave him. The film ends with a major battle, although it’s not bloody or ultra-violent. Finally, alien-like creatures fill the film. Most of them are cute, although some are quite ugly. Sensitive children might have nightmares after seeing them.

Sexuality/Sensuality/Nudity

Minimum. Aurora and Phillip kiss two or three times.

Coarse Language

None.

Other Positive Elements

BothMaleficent movies spotlight Maleficent’s relationship with Aurora. In the second film, Maleficent makes many applause-worthy decisions as a parent/godmother.

Other Stuff You Might Want To Know

The film showcases magic, even if we don’t see cauldrons and broomsticks. Maleficent uses magic for bad and for good.

Life Lessons

Redemption is always possible: This film captures that theme beautifully, even if we see a lot of carnage along the way.  

Self-sacrifice makes the world better: The film’s final five minutes include a plot twist affirming this message.

Looks can be deceiving: One major character—to outsiders, at least—appears good, when, in fact, she is evil and self-centered.

Peace requires selflessness: The two kingdoms failed to live in harmony because of a lack of trust—and in some cases, hatred. Eventually, they come together. 

Worldview/Application

The world of Maleficent: Mistress of Evil is one of good and evil, although Maleficent herself seems to have the greatest power in that universe. She controls nature and is told, “In your hands you hold the power of life and death—destruction and rebirth.” (Although, oddly, we hear characters talk about a “christening.”)

It’s an unbiblical worldview that may be worth discussing with children on the ride home.

The film’s core plot, though, has little resemblance to the original story. Evil people don’t stay evil, and supposedly good people turn out to be bad. The film’s final few moments even have a redemptive ending.  

Unfortunately for families with small children, though, we have to wade through a ton of scary scenes and ugly creatures to get to that moment.

What Works

The animation. The ending. The chemistry between Maleficent and Aurora.

What Doesn’t

The story. It lacked the charm of the best Disney movies.

Discussion Questions

1. What lessons about life does the character of Maleficent teach us?

2. Is peace always possible? What is required for peace between nations? Between individual people?

3. Why was Queen Ingrith filled with hatred? 

4. What does the movie teach us about redemption?

Entertainment rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars. Family-friendly rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Rated PG for intense sequences of fantasy action/violence and brief scary images.

Photo credit: Disney

What can you do with a missionary, when they stop being a missionary?

What can you do with a missionary, when they stop being a missionary?

What can you do with a general,
When he stops being a general?
Oh, what can you do with a general who retires?
Nobody thinks of assigning him
When they stop wining and dining him…

Irving Berlin’s song What Can You Do with a General, When They Stop Being a General was made famous in the movie White Christmas. The main characters of the film were representative of a nation trying to find their new normal in a post-World War II era.

Soldiers came home and had to adjust back to their everyday routine, mentally needing to switch from soldier to citizen. The women, having to become, in essence, single mothers and breadwinners, had to adjust back to the homemaker life.

Everyone made their way back to the normal they had before the war, only to find the world vastly different post-war.

For men and women of authority in the armed forces during that time, the transition from military honor, power and respect would have been a shocking reality check as they faded into a sea of mediocrity and the ordinary. Their hearts were weighted with unseen medals and hard-earned victories. But their chests were bare. These medals don’t match a regular starched button up.

What can you do with a general, when they stop being a general?

This song always rings true in my ear, for I have seen a similar transition for soldiers of sorts who must return to their old normal, having found it, too, has changed.

From Moon to Mueller, from Livingstone to Elliott, missionaries have long been praised for their willing hearts and lives of sacrifice. Much like World War II soldiers, when they buy their ticket and board, everyone’s there to cheer them on and wave goodbye. When they are in the field, everyone’s writing letters and sending love and prayers.

When they come back on furlough, everyone’s bringing them meals and treating them to fine experiences. When they head back to their mission field after furlough, everyone’s there to cheer them on and wave goodbye again.

But what happens when that missionary is called back to the U.S.A.? What can you do with a missionary, when they stop being a missionary?

They fill his chest with medals while he’s across the foam,

And they spread the crimson carpet when he comes marching home,

The next day someone hollers when he comes into view,

“Here comes the (missionary)” and they all say “(Missionary) who?”

They’re delighted that he came,

But they can’t recall his name

The transition is hard. There’s so much change.

As a missionary kid, I saw this change affect my family as we moved back to the States after serving in Central Asia for five and a half years. My parents, though struggling themselves, managed to help us five kids adjust. All seven of us could tell you a different story of how hard the move was.

Everyone would hug our necks and say, “Welcome home!” This always confused me. Having spent the majority of my life in Asia, that had become my home. This country of my birth was not my home, and held much culture shock for me. Thousands of “Why” questions danced and drudged in my 10-year-old mind.

Why are there electric hand dryers in the bathrooms here?

Why does everyone have a cell phone? Should I have one?

Why do the girls dress and talk so different from me? How can I silence their stares?

Why don’t we take our shoes off at the church doorway anymore?

Why is everyone in such a hurry?

I’ve found that we were blessed to be a part of a church that loved us and provided for us fully during our move from Asia to McAlester, Oklahoma. Though I had many questions, they were often allowed to be asked and were answered gracefully. Though I had some fear, my church and home were safe places to be.

Not all churches know what to do with missionaries when they come “home” for good. I would like to offer two things congregations should not do and two things congregations can do when attempting to care for the missionaries who have been called back to the States.

Congregations should not

…pretend things are “back to normal.” It would have been inappropriate to expect a World War II soldier to return from battle and act like they weren’t changed, or that they could simply “return to normal.”

The same is true for a missionary. Most missionaries have experienced great loss, vast change and life-altering perspective shifts. Don’t expect them to return to the States the same person as when they left.

…be disappointed in them. They may not have stayed as long overseas as they had hoped. They may have been offered an early retirement. They may have had a sick family member for whom they had to return. Don’t be disappointed in them or feel they have disobeyed God by coming back from the mission field.

Congregations can

…provide for their physical needs… and wants. From housing to employment, from food to a (more than likely needed) vacation. Don’t wait for them to ask for help. Simply ask yourself, “What would I want or need if I were in their shoes?”

…introduce. Help them get introduced to their new home! Take them to see the sights, try the tastiest restaurants and visit the popular hang-outs. Help them fall in love with where God has placed them. If they lived in your city before moving overseas initially, then re-introduce them to the old places and introduce the new places.

Above all, love them fiercely, utilize them in your church and empower them to press on. Missionaries who have returned to the States long-term are assets to the American church. What can you do with a missionary when they stop being a missionary? The ends of the earth are the limit.

Emergency Texts

Emergency Texts

According to a news announcement from the city where I reside, people can now send an emergency text to 911. No longer do you have to call 911, you can simply notify them by text.

No more calling to hear a live voice say, “Hello 911, what is your emergency?” Simply text the location and nature of the situation to 911, and help will be on the way.

Some days, when troubles or emergencies come, I forget that I can “dial direct” to another source of ever-present help: God Himself.

During life’s trials, we are quick to look elsewhere for help. We sometimes look to other people, friends included, for help (which can be very good and something God wants us to do). Other times, we turn to less helpful resources, like self-help books or Google, to look for solutions.

In her classic Christian work telling her life story, “The Hiding Place,” Nazi concentration camp survivor Corrie Ten Boom, recounts a time when she turned to a person to help instead of the Lord. Facing one of the many instances of injustices that she did, Corrie pleaded her case to a Nazi, only to be turned away cold.

After the encounter, Ten Boom was reminded that it is to God she could turn for real help, not man. This is the same spiritual giant who said, “If you look at the world, you’ll be distressed. If you look within, you’ll be depressed. But if you look at Christ, you’ll be at rest.”

Today, when problems arise, call on Jesus through prayer. From God’s Word, we are promised that He will answer. And He may answer your emergency message even more immediately—and for sure more thoroughly—than 911 ever could.

REVIEW: ‘The Addams Family’ is macabre, but is that OK?

REVIEW: ‘The Addams Family’ is macabre, but is that OK?

Gomez Addams is a protective father who only wants what is best for his children, Wednesday and Pugsley.

Or, maybe he wants the worst.

Whatever the case, Gomez and his family — including his wife Morticia and his brother Fester and — are a tight-nit bunch. They play together. They eat together. They defend one another.

They’re also a strange bunch. For starters, the Addams live in a run-down mansion that always seems to reside under a gray cloud. They also like everything the outside world hates. Like rainy days. And bats. And dust. And dark, depressing clothes. Then there’s their connection to the spirit world. They communicate regularly with deceased relatives, who — get this — send them gifts.

They are a macabre family living their dream life.

But then Wednesday — their teen girl — begins wondering what the outside world is like. And then the Addams learn of an even bigger threat to their dark-and-dreary life: A home-improvement show that is being filmed at the bottom of their hill in a new town. And then the star of the show volunteers to improve their home.

Can their weird way of life survive these new challenges?

The animated film The Addams Family (PG) opens this weekend, starring Oscar Isaac (The Force Awakens) as Gomez, Charlize Theron (Snow White and the Huntsman) as Morticia, and Bette Midler (Beaches, Murphy Brown) as Grandma.

The film is a new take on the story that began with a series of comic strips and was popularized with a 1960s TV series. It follows a family that does everything the opposite of the real world. When it’s time to dust the house, they blow more dust into the room. When they drop Wednesday off at school, they say, “Do your worst.” When they see people laughing, they wonder what’s wrong.

The Addams Family is only the latest children’s film to spotlight the spooky world, following the Hotel Transylvania series and the Goosebumps movies.

The Addams Family may be more family-friendly than Goosebumps (that’s up for debate), but it’s far darker than any of the Hotel Transylvania movies. It’s so dark that the word “macabre” made it into the film’s rating (which says it’s PG for macabre and suggestive humor, and some action.)

Warning: minor/moderate spoilers!

(Scale key: none, minimal, moderate, extreme)

Violence/Disturbing

Moderate. The film is filled with Looney Tunes-type violence that’s played for laughs, but due to the macabre nature of the family, it seems more disturbing. The funny-but-spooky “Thing” is nothing more than a disembodied hand with a mind of its own. Pugsley, the boy, often shoots his uncle with either arrows or small bombs as part of “target practice.” (The uncle applauds him each time.) Pugsley climbs down the mouth of their pet lion to retrieve his meal. When a red balloon lands on the family’s property, Morticia jokes that it’s typically held by a “murderous clown.” Wednesday buries her brother in a grave, apparently as a joke. (He quickly digs out.) Lurch the butler, who looks a lot like Frankenstein, answers the door with a deep-voiced and eerie “you raaaang?” Pugsley briefly climbs the walls — his pupils a bright white. A family member jokes about a gift they were given “from dead relatives.” Wednesday wonders why her vanity mirror — unlike a smartphone — can hold only “14 souls at a time.” We hear a joke about embalming fluid. A bat bites Morticia’s neck, and we hear a straw-sucking sound. Morticia, wanting to get to know Wednesday better, invites her to a “tea and seance” in the grave. Mortician then communicates with her deceased parents. She also uses a ouija board. The final scene includes multiple things blowing up.

Sexuality/Sensuality/Nudity

Minimal. Morticia’s dress shows a bit of cleavage. A couple briefly kisses at the end.

Coarse Language

Minimal. One or two barely heard OMGs.

Other Positive Elements

Sure, Mr. and Mrs. Addams love all things dark, but they also love their children.

Other Stuff You Might Want To Know

Wednesday goes to a public schools and sees a friend, Parker, bullied. (The other girl places a sandwich and drink in Parker’s backpack.) At the school, Wednesday creates a device to bring dead frogs (intended for dissection) back to life. 

Life Lessons

Don’t put work before family: Margaux Needler, the TV host, ignores her teen daughter, Parker, who essentially grows up without a caring mother in her life.

Let your kids be themselves: Of course, this has its limits, but in The Addams Family, the parents want their children to be exactly like them. They fail to see Wednesday and Pugsley as unique individuals.

Don’t judge people on appearance: This is the film’s primary message, and it’s driven home in the movie’s final minutes. It’s a good lesson for children to learn.   

Worldview/Application

I watched the black-and-white, live-action version of The Addams Family while growing up. It was funny — and original.

Since then, though, I’ve become uncomfortable with a story that makes jokes about seances, ouija boards and the dead. Those are things Scripture explicitly tells us not to embrace.

The Addams Family trivializes the dark world. It makes it seem fun, humorous and attractive — when it’s just the opposite. (Morticia talks to her dead parents much like we would call a real-world person on an iPhone.)

No doubt, much of the film humor is family-friendly and appropriate. (Who wouldn’t laugh at a person “dusting” a house by making it dustier?) But much of the humor is not.

Sponsors

Hershey’s, IHOP, Goodwill, Tombstone, General Mills, Cost Plus World Market and Scholastic.

Discussion Questions

1. Is the dark world presented as good or bad?

2. What does the Bible say about communicating with the dead?

3. Do you like macabre movies? Why or why not?

4. Are macabre films ever OK?

5. What lessons can we learn from the relationship between the Addams parents and their children?

Entertainment rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars. Family-friendly rating: 3 out of 5 stars.

Rated PG for macabre and suggestive humor, and some action.

DHD: Caleb Freeman, NBA & China, Thunder thoughts, Sending Celebration, DeYoung on Luke, Walker at the fair

DHD: Caleb Freeman, NBA & China, Thunder thoughts, Sending Celebration, DeYoung on Luke, Walker at the fair

Greetings!

It’s a super-fast edition of DHD this week. By the time many of you are reading this, I will be in St. Louis, visiting family for an extended weekend. I’m writing earlier than usual and not as long.

1. Caleb’s first race

The Baptist Messenger has been keeping up with Caleb Freeman’s progress since his major accident in Dec. 2017, which resulted in Caleb suffering from severe brain injuries. The last article the Messenger featured was on Caleb being honored at an OU basketball game, earlier this year. But do a search for Caleb Freeman on www.baptistmessenger.com to read all the reports.

Earlier this week, Caleb ran a 5K with his track teammates from Newcastle High School. Multiple news reports covered his accomplishment. It also was featured on NBC Nightly News. More updates can be found on the Pray for Caleb Facebook page.

Praise God for what He is doing through Caleb’s life!

2. NBA and China

I told you I was going to be fast. So here’s my take on the NBA-China issue. I support Houston Rockets G.M. Daryl Morey’s tweet message. Apparently, I’m not alone because political leaders on both sides of the aisle are also speaking in support of Hong Kong. Check out this article by Josh Wester to get a great summary.

3. Thunder thoughts

I’m working a Thunder game tonight (Thurs., Oct. 10), but what I’ve seen of the Thunder so far is interesting. In a brief summary, the team is not as flashy but appears to be competitive. Of course, who knows how long Chris Paul and other current Thunder players will be on the roster later this season.

I’m sure I will say more later.

4. IMB Sending Celebration

I wrote an article for the Oct. 17 edition of the Baptist Messenger about the International Mission Board Sending Celebration that will be at Oklahoma City, Quail Springs Nov. 12. Be on the lookout for it.

Save the date for that November Tuesday night!

5. DeYoung on Luke

I read a great commentary by Kevin DeYoung on Luke being an evangelist to the rich. It’s a great perspective. Check it out here.

6. Walker at the fair

Walker Moore, longtime columnist for the Messenger, offered a great chronological breakdown of one of his days serving as a chaplain at the Tulsa State Fair. It’s a great read!

Check out Rite of passage: Here to serve

What To Do If You Can’t Memorize Scripture

What To Do If You Can’t Memorize Scripture

I often get approached by an excited parishioner who has questions about a verse they read. They tell me the book, chapter and verse, but not what it actually says. I’m not sure if they think I have it all memorized, or perhaps it’s such a common verse that they assume I know it by heart.

Unfortunately, it’s very rare that I know that verse by its location, yet as soon as they begin to quote it, I have no problem remembering what it says.

That’s because I’m terrible at memorizing Scripture. I’m not sure if a pastor is allowed to say that, but it’s the truth.

This doesn’t mean I don’t know my Bible. I consider myself to be well educated on theology. For some reason, my brain just has a hard time memorizing certain things. I’ve tried to use books that teach you how to memorize Scripture. I’ve had flash cards I carry with me to help as well, but all to no avail.

I know I’m not alone in this because I have met lots of people who say the same thing. Although I don’t have it memorized, I can still quote large amounts of Scripture from memory.

How can I do that without memorizing it? Easy, I just remember it. Lots of us know things by heart that we never intentionally sat down to memorize. I can sing the entire theme to the Duck Tales cartoon series. I also know all the words to certain songs. Most of you reading this can at least get halfway through the Fresh Prince of Bel Air theme song.

I highly doubt you sat down with song lyrics, made flash cards and then worked for weeks to remember them all. It’s much more likely that you heard that song so many times that it just got stuck in your brain, and no matter what, you can’t get rid of it. This is how I know what I do with Scripture—not from intentional memorization but from constantly reading certain sections over and over.

If you find math difficult, it’s likely your brain also has a hard time sitting down and memorizing flash cards of Bible verses as well. So my encouragement to you is to not get frustrated but instead sit down and read the same chapter every day for a week. You may not retain all of it, but you will know a lot more than you did before. In fact, this is a very biblical way to do this.

If you haven’t noticed, there are lots of festivals mentioned in the Old Testament. One of the reasons for this was so that, every few months, a story about why that festival was created would be retold and passed onto the next generation.

Someone would read from the Bible, and after hearing it over and over you quickly knew the Bible in the same way you learned the story of The Three Little Pigs.

Not all of us learn the same way, but God’s Word is so rich that we should all strive to find a way to write it on our hearts.

For Moms Who Muster, an Encouraging Word

For Moms Who Muster, an Encouraging Word

Twenty-four years of mustering. 

Maybe more. 

Twenty-four years of working hard to craft perfect holiday memories, not for myself, but for my family and others, and I’ve enjoyed far less of it than I care to admit. 

Why?  Because no matter how hard I tried or how carefully I planned, something always went wrong. 

The one-year-old hated organic icing just as much as mom and dad do and wouldn’t touch his birthday cake for pictures. 

The eighteen-month-old had a diaper blow out that ruined her dress on the way to church Easter morning.

Someone got the stomach bug on Christmas Eve. 

The tooth fairy put so much energy into the cute note that she forgot the cash… again.

The best friend couldn’t make it to the birthday party. 

The new sauce pan heated more quickly than the old one, so everyone smelled like scorched corn on Thanksgiving. 

A relative who shall remain nameless thought it would be a great idea to give a taxidermied puppy as a Christmas gift to the child who had been wanting a real one for years. 

You can’t possibly know, control, and/or remember everything and everyone.  Did you know that?  Well, it took me a long time to learn.

The unplanned, unscripted moments, though, now those are another story altogether.  The moments I never expected to be filled with wonderful?  Those have been the absolute best. 

Truth be told, if the images I replay in my head when I’m feeling nostalgic were to be downloaded into a scrapbook for everyone to see, you’d find very few party hats or holiday decorations.

Instead, you’d see my infant daughter sound asleep on my husband’s chest for the hundredth night in a row.   

You’d see my three-year-old son asking Jesus into his heart all by himself, smackdab in the middle of his Hot Wheels, because “you don’t need mommies for that, just God.”

You’d see my kindergarten daughter lagging behind on our walk home from school, her expectant eyes heavenward because “Jesus could come back any minute.”

You’d see the kids playing Legos and Barbies in the hall instead of their rooms just so they could be near each other. 

You’d see my family gathered around our daughter’s bed in the evenings for Junie B. Jones and prayers. 

*Happy sigh*

Listen, friends, holidays and special events are good.  They serve a function and have their place, to be sure, but it’s up to us to make sure they stay in their place and don’t distract us from what’s really important. 

“Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails” (Prov. 19:21).

Life is not a party.  For the Christian, it’s a mission trip, and we don’t get to set the itinerary.  If we fixate on the photo ops, we might miss out on what’s truly meaningful.

This holiday season, why don’t we all put expectation aside and leave the mustering up to God so we can appreciate and participate in the wonderful He has planned? 

Let’s face it: Nothing was going to go exactly the way we envisioned it anyway. 

On Single-Issue Voters

On Single-Issue Voters

According to a new LifeWay Research Poll, “around 1 in 12 (8 percent) say they are single-issue voters, while 80 percent say their support for a candidate depends on several issues.”

The poll was “sponsored by the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention (and) explored the perspectives of American evangelicals on civility, politics, media consumption and how likely they are to engage with views different from their own.”

Let’s take a moment to think about single-issue voters. This concept has most often been associated, in American politics, with the abortion issue. The survey results said, “half of evangelicals by belief (51 percent) say they will only support a candidate who wants to make abortion illegal.”

One of the aspects that the poll did not directly appear to address was single-issue voter positive-versus-negative, as one ethics expert put it. In other words, some people are “single-issue voters” in that a candidate being incorrect or in disagreement on one lone issue (e.g. abortion) can disqualify someone from their consideration. But they are not “single issue voters” in that the candidate being right or in agreement on that issue does not automatically qualify that person for consideration.

Translation: If you’re wrong on that non-negotiable issue, I cannot in good conscience support you. If you’re right on that issue, depending on other factors, I may or may not support you.

I would consider myself in this latter category. I am a single-issue voter in that being life-affirming (for the born and unborn) is a must; not to affirm life is disqualifying for me.

You may or may not agree with this frame of thinking (I would be happy to hear you out). But consider this analogy. If a would-be pastoral candidate is qualified in many areas but fails in one or two key areas (as defined by Scripture), it can disqualify him entirely from consideration. One truly toxic factor can poison the whole well.

Thinking beyond this seminal issue of abortion, the poll revealed that many do not share this issue as the top priority. “When asked which three public policy concerns are most important to them, evangelicals by belief today are more likely to choose issues like healthcare (51 percent), the economy (46 percent), national security (40 percent) or immigration (39 percent), than issues like religious liberty (33 percent), abortion (29 percent), providing for the needy (22 percent) or addressing racial division (21 percent).”

Whether you are a single-issue voter or not, as the 2020 Election looms larger, every professing Christian can learn to show more patience with fellow believers, as we parse through the urgent issues needing attention this election cycle and beyond.  

DHD: Caleb Freeman, NBA & China, Thunder thoughts, Sending Celebration, DeYoung on Luke, Walker at the fair

DHD: Six takeaways from the Jean-Guyger courtroom hug

Greetings!

The biggest news in social media this week is the hug in court. Of course, it involved more than that, but as Baptist Press reported on Oct. 3, “18-year-old Brandt Jean offered forgiveness and Christ to Amber Guyger, the woman convicted the day before of murdering his older brother Botham in 2018.”

For this week’s DHD, I give six aspects involving this dramatic, unexpected scene in court.

1. Courtroom forgiveness

I will go over what Jean said to Guyger, but what is at the heart of this scene is what nobody ever expects to happen in a courtroom trial. A victim or a family member of the victim forgives the accused.

It’s a powerful moment and difficult for humanity to fully comprehend. However, this is not the first time forgiveness in a major public court case has been offered.

Rachael Denhollander gave a powerful statement during the Larry Nassar trial early last year. This is the case of the former USA Gymnastics doctor who sexually abused hundreds of young gymnasts.

“I pray you experience the soul-crushing weight of guilt, so you may someday experience true repentance and true forgiveness from God, which you need far more than forgiveness from me — though I extend that to you as well,” Denhollander said to Nassar during her testimony.

Many also remember in 2015 when members of the Emanuel African Methodist Church Episcopal Church in Charleston, S.C. forgave shooter Dylann Roof for the lives he murdered during a church service.

2. Asking God for forgiveness

Jean displayed wisdom and humility when he spoke to Guyger in court this week.

“I forgive you. And I know if you go to God and ask Him, He will forgive you,” Jean said during the sentencing hearing. “I love you just like anyone else. I’m not going to say I hope you rot and die just like my brother did, but I personally want the best for you. … I think giving your life to Christ would be the best thing that Botham would want you to do.”

If you are familiar with 1 John 1:9, you can hear Jean reference this verse when he spoke.

Jean presented the Gospel this day, not only to Guyger, but to everyone in the courtroom and to anyone watching the video. Who knows who was influenced by the Holy Spirit through this moment?

3. Forgiveness in action

And then the hug. Jean asked the judge if he could hug Guyger, asking “Please, please?”

Provided by Baptist Press

We don’t see the judge in the screen but hear her reply, “Yes.”

Jean comes down, and it’s apparent how much Guyger desires forgiveness and to be consoled.

For me, it was hard to only watch the video once.

4. ‘He was taught to forgive’

Baptist Press also reported comments from Jean’s mother, Allison, who said his forgiveness is a reflection of his upbringing.

“What my son did was a true reflection of what we’ve practiced all our lives. That’s what he’s been taught, to forgive,” she told NBC 5 after a Wednesday worship service at Church of Christ Dallas West where Botham had been a worship leader. “My son (Brandt) is 18-years-old, and he will have to live with the loss of his brother for all his life, so he needs to move on. I think that was the beginning of the cleansing and a new beginning.”

This demonstrates how important it is for children to be raised in church and to be taught Christian virtues.

5. Those who misunderstand

Many have spoken against what happened in that Dallas courtroom. Many have offered different interpretations of Jean’s act of forgiveness.

What I know is Jean demonstrated Jesus Christ, and just as Christ forgave many, including me, we should do likewise. That’s all I will reflect from this moment, nothing else.

6. The judge’s presentation of the Gospel

And then, to top off the unconventional courtroom events, Judge Tammy Kemp comes over to offer Guyger her Bible and then shares the powerful message of John 3:16.

This video from Court TV is an amazing presentation:

https://www.facebook.com/courttv/videos/742426399531971/
Bringing Love to a Knife Fight

Bringing Love to a Knife Fight

I was getting into my car, recently to go to work when the phone call came from a young man. I will call him Braden. “Pastor Chad, I am stranded at the McDonalds, and my pastor who is here with me has to leave soon,” he said.

The call came through a messenger app, which is typical. Youth that I haven’t seen in years will often find me on Facebook and make the free internet call when they are in trouble. I told him I would come to pick him up.

When I pulled up and saw him, he looked like he had been beaten up, like he had been in a bad fight. His pastor was from southeast Oklahoma. We talked briefly, exchanged cards, and he was on his way with a four-hour drive back home.

Then the story started. Braden had been at home when his mom was getting home from cancer treatment. She was delirious from her medication, and her boyfriend started beating her. Braden pleaded with him to beat up on him instead, to no avail.

Braden finally stepped in and took the abuse. He is tall but skinny, maybe 130 pounds and no match for a grown man. After beating him, his mother’s boyfriend cut him across the face and hand with a pocket knife, requiring several stitches.

Braden is a senior in high school, but he is also 18, so I was told the police declined to press charges, calling it a mutual fight between adults. His pastor took him in over the weekend and then delivered him to Oklahoma City where he has some relatives.

It took me a little time to wrap my mind around his new reality as a homeless adult and what I should do for him. Like a lot of youth we work with, he had extended family and friends who would let him couch surf in the short term, but Braden was making excellent grades and had already started the process of applying to colleges. I could see that in the next few hours he was going to make some decisions that would shape his future.

His mother allowed him to leave with his clothes, social security card and a photocopy of his birth certificate. He had no ID, no driver’s license and no money to take care of himself. His best prospect was a distant cousin in east central Oklahoma, who was willing to take him in if he stayed in school and got a job. His cousin agreed to come to pick him up after he got off work at 5 p.m., so I had the day to do what I could. My task list was long but critical. Get him an I.D., a bank account that I would fund, a working phone, enrolled in school and a safe place to stay.

He couldn’t get an I.D. card or driver’s permit because he lacked an original birth certificate. To get a birth certificate, he needed two forms of I.D., and he only had one. It is a frustrating loop that young people in poverty face when they have little parental support. You need transportation, money and lots of patience to get the government to recognize you. Most kids end up on foot, working with cash and facing many closed doors.

We figured out how to get his birth certificate ordered online, but he couldn’t open a bank account without it, so I bought him a pre-paid card at Walmart with $200 on it, and we got his phone activated.

I fed him lunch, and we headed out of town, waiting for his cousin. On the way, I called his previous high school and talked to the school counselor. I explained his situation and asked if we could come visit her. She agreed and told me what to do to get him enrolled at the school district offices as a homeless adult. Braden had been a member at a Baptist church in that area, so I called their youth pastor and explained his situation and asked to come by.

A short time later, we were at the church, and his pastors were waiting for him. They knew him well and were prepared to step in and care for this boy. As we were leaving to go enroll in school, the outreach pastor said to tell the principal that “you are one of my guys.” He also informed us that the school counselor is one of their Sunday school teachers.

We got him enrolled at the district office and went to the high school. The principle was outside when we pulled up and immediately recognized Braden. He ushered us into his office and called the counselor in.

They gathered around Braden and took great care of him. They wanted to make sure he had food, clothes and a stable place to stay. He left school on Friday in southeast Oklahoma, and he started school in this new community on Tuesday. It reminded me of the promise from Jesus that He will never leave us or forsake us.

As we left the school, his cousin was waiting outside in his car. He was a handsome bright-eyed 20-year-old who is working in the oil fields. He gave me a firm handshake and said, “I want to thank you for bringing Braden to us. My mother is closing on a new house this week, and we have an extra room picked out for Braden to stay in.”

Braden gave his heart to Christ at Mission OKC, where I serve as pastor, when he was still just a little boy. As his mother moved around the last few years, he had made a point to get plugged into a local church. As I drove away, I thought about how God saw this terrible day coming when Braden would be beaten up, separated from his mother, lose his home and would be thrust out into the world on his own for trying to protect his mother. Yet it was clear that there was a hedge of protection around him.

I was proud of my brothers and sister in Christ and proud to be a Christian as eight believers from three cities locked arms around Braden without missing a beat to save this young man from a devastating fall. He may have been hurting, but he knew that he was loved. I pray that it is a formative example to Braden that as Christians we are called to do whatever it takes to help those who are hurting and that one day he will be ready to take up his role to do the same.

Editor’s Note: If you or someone you know if facing abuse, please seek help through law enforcement and know anyone can contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233.