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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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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?”
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:
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.