Posted by Most of us have heard of and greatly admire the writer C. S. Lewis. One of his most popular stories is the Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. The novel became a film in 2005 grossing over $745 million worldwide, the third most successful movie of that year. It went on to win an Academy Award for Best Makeup as well as other awards. I rarely buy DVDs, but this is one that I did buy and have watched several times.
There is power in imagination. C. S. Lewis is probably most well-known for his vast imagination as he used it to communicate his faith. Of course, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is a vivid expression of the triumph of Jesus on the cross, allowing himself to be crucified, buried after his death for three days, and then rising from the grave with all power, with victory over all evil.
One of my favorite scenes in this movie was the battle that took place on an open field that displayed a clear separation of good and evil; but on each side, there were many differences in the appearance of the characters. On the side of evil, there was some confusion, anger, and quarrels among those who aligned themselves with their leader; but on the side of good, there was peace, perhaps some fear and anxiety, but there was love and concern for each other.
The bible says that we are currently in a war, a spiritual war between good and evil (Ephesians 6:13-14). As we as Christians navigate our way through life, it is important for us to remember this truth. There are many differences between us that could easily fill up this page if listed, but what we have in common is what we must keep our focus on, especially if we are of the Christian faith which honors the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
During the pandemic, many of us have gotten our eyes off the united goal to stand against the true enemy of our souls and have given much attention to the gray areas of life that are approved by the God we serve. Unfortunately, in a war, there are casualties, and there are difficulties, but there is also purpose and reward at the end. The book of Ephesian talks about a fight with spiritual forces, but there is also the fight with that part of us, our own fallen nature, that causes quarrels and disunity. Paul said in 2 Timothy 4:7-8 when he had reached the end of his mortal life: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”
Out of love for Aslan the Lion, the characters who stood for good united as the stars in the sky are united, each different, but each shining and taking its place in the cosmos, complementing each other in an orchestra of light, with each light taking its place to pierce the darkness around. They did not know if Aslan would come to help them, but they stood anyway until he returned as the rising Son.
We are living in a time in which it is difficult to know which side we are on because of differences in opinions on the gray areas of life. God our Creator made each of us different, in our appearance, our thoughts, how we do things, I could go on and on. The good news is He did not make a mistake, He did it on purpose, and He loves us equally. Paul said: “I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean” (Romans 14:14). When we are facing the gray areas of life, this is the way to resolve the issue so that unity will not be broken. If something is offensive to another, we are to refrain to keep that person from “stumbling”.
There is a call for unity in our country, in our homes, and in our relationships. This unity requires a daily, individual work to attain a new way of thinking that aligns itself with our Aslan, the risen Son. If you are not sure of how to do this, a good start is being attentive in church, bible studies, and counseling can help to refocus on universal values.
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