Friday night my husband comes home from work and tells me he has a surprise for me. Then he shows me the movie Courageous that he stopped at the video store to rent for us to watch later. Yes, it was a nice surprise. We rarely go to the movies. We usually say that we will wait until it comes out on video, but then forget about it and never watch it. Besides, most modern day films leave me feeling hopeless about our world instead of
refreshed. But this was one that I had been wanting to see.
After dinner, we dusted off the TV in our bedroom and had a cozy date at home watching a movie together. From the very first scene, I thought, "Wow, every man needs to see
this!" With each new conflict that arose in the lives of these men, I watched intensely at how each man handled the situation. I watched as they grew in their faith through each difficult task. I liked watching the men talk about God, but loved seeing them actually talking to God. I liked seeing them go to their pastors for guidance. I liked watching them turn to God in their greatest time of need and hearing them talk to their wives and kids about God. I loved seeing them read in their bibles. It liked watching them bring other men closer to Christ. I loved seeing them pray together. This is what real men do.
How many movies have you seen lately that openly talk about praying for
God's help in tough situations much less show that happening? How many movies actually show the
characters going to worship the Lord on Sunday in a Church? How many
movies actually portray family values? How many movies actually show kids listening and obeying their parents when something is forbidden? Almost never! This is a huge reason we rarely
watch newly released movies. I can never relate to the characters, settings,
or plot. They normally fill our heads with unGodly stuff, especially our kids. This movie was different. I felt hopeful after watching it instead of hopeless.
I kept thinking all night, "If only every "guy" could see this and realize that God has to be first for everything else to work right in their lives." I thought of all the things our boys could learn from this movie too. I thought of the affirmation it gave for all the things we have been trying to instill in them as young men. I thought of all the marriages around us that had failed or were failing and thought. If only...
The next morning I as sat drinking my coffee, I began to reflect back on the movie. This time a different thought rang out loudly in my head. Every woman needs to see this movie too! We, as woman, can learn a great deal from this movie too. Wives need to see how these woman allowed their husbands to be the leaders of their households, how they stood by and supported their husbands' decisions, and how they trusted their husbands. These women helped guide their husbands along the way, but never over stepping their role as wife. They didn't nag or complain (much) or manipulate their husbands even when their husbands made poor decisions. They weren't out frivolously spending money, getting their hair and nails done, or sitting around with their girlfriends bashing their husbands. Their kids didn't rule their households nor were they obstacles in the way. I as thought more, I decided my girls needed to see this too.
As mothers, we need to teach our daughters how to be submissive to their husbands standing by them, supporting them as these women were. We need them to know that this is much easier to do when you have a husband that follows Christ. They need to know that they must have this kind of man for a husband in order to truly be respected, protected, and loved. We need to teach our young ladies to set higher standards and demand the young men to reach them instead of lowering them for worldly men. But we, as mothers, need to teach all of this to them by our example not just through a movie.
No comments:
Post a Comment