Last night in youth group we were blessed to watch the Pure Flix movie, "Woodlawn." This movie highlights the true story of racial tension at racially integrated, Woodlawn High school. The movie begins with many moments of high tension as both white and black students were very verbal about their disapproval of their school being a place where both black and white students could come to learn. Things aren't much better for the football team as team mates argue, quarrel, scream, and fight each other Coach Gerelds sees his team spinning out of control. He fears this may be the end of his time as coach at Woodlawn High if something can't be done. As almost a gift from God, Hank, an enthusiastic sport's chaplain asks the coach to speak to the team about Jesus. Seeing he has nothing to lose coach Gerelds reluctantly agrees. He is amazed at his team's response over Hank's message of love and acceptance. The movie continues with the rise of Woodlawn's star running back, Touchdown Tony Nathan, and it serves as a reminder that Jesus can make a huge difference if we truly make room for him. If you enjoy football/sports movie it is a really enjoyable flick, fairly well acted, and has a pretty entertaining story line.
Here are a few take aways from the flick....
1) We don't always win with Jesus.
It is true with Jesus we have beaten death and the forces of wickedness, but sometimes in this life time we do lose. Woodlawn played their rival school, Banks, for the division title twice in the movie, and I won't spoil too much but early on Tony's junior season they did lose. One big disservice Christian movies can do is to paint a reality that with Jesus we win all of our earthly battles. We as Christians do win some but not all. God doesn't call us to be winners as Paul reminds us in 2 Timothy 4:7 that he has fought the good fight, finished the course, and kept the faith. We are called to be faithful.
2) Live for Jesus and people will notice.
Coach Gerelds in the movie was very skeptical about Hank and his message to the team. He was very skeptical about his team's response, and he just had doubts that anyone in Birmingham, AL could relate and interact well with someone of the opposite skin color. He was amazed at how his team began supporting each other, looking out for each other, and how well they began playing. Coach Gerelds came to know Jesus not because of some compelling preacher, but he came to know Jesus because other people lived out their faith in real and powerful ways.
3) Racism is still alive today.
The sad truth is we live in a world where we don't do very well with people who are different than us. Most of our friends, colleagues, and acquaintances are all people just like us. I'm not saying that in and of itself is a terrible thing. But, I wonder, "Are we missing out on all the fullness and richness of life God has to offer if we only associate with people just like us?" I don't fully know how to answer that, but I know the Kingdom of Heaven is going to be filled with many beautiful people from all over the world, and many of them will not look like white Americans.
Racism takes many forms. Some of those forms are overt and some are subtle. But, I encourage you to recognize it and to pray that God would use you to help put a stop to it. Allow your home, your place of work, and your church to be a place where all feel welcome. Be open and willing for God to use you in might ways, and you will be surprised what he is capable of doing.
No comments:
Post a Comment