This is one of my favorite quotes in the Harry Potter movies. It is spoken by Professor Dumbledore to Harry; He knows that Harry is the key to destroying Voldemort and his evil that has been unleashed upon the world. They are harsh words. It is far easier to ignore what is "right" and choose the path of least resistance. But consider the story our church heard just today of Abigail from 1 Samuel 25:1-44.
In this story, Abigail's brutish husband insults the neighboring King David - causing a near war. Abigail leaps into action - taking the blame for his poor behavior and ends up saving her husband from being murdered - and King David from becoming a murderer. Abigail takes the tougher path - standing up for what she believes in no matter the danger to herself - and following the instructions she knows are of God.
Through Abigail's actions, our Pastor outlined 4 things for us to remember:
- Do what is right - even when things are bad or tough or complicated.
- Take action - do not delay in making the right choices.
- Keep the best interest of your whole family.
- Let God do His work in His time.
This parallels the struggles Harry must go through. At the end of Book 4, Harry and Dumbledore KNOW that Voldemort is "back" and at full strength, yet the Minister of Magic takes hold of the media to refute this claim. All of Book 5 (The Order of the Phoenix) focuses on Harry's determination to do what is right even in as his actions do not have popular support. He steadfastly refuses to be swayed from his task of defeating Voldemort - knowing that this is in the best interest of the entire Wizarding (and Muggle!) world. It will take patience - as the Harry Potter series is one of 7 books - but this road less traveled will bring about victory against evil... even in the face of heartbreak and hardship.
The second thing Dumbledore says to Harry is "Remember, Harry, you are not alone."
And neither are we.
With every breath... with every step... God is with us: guiding us, comforting us, cheering us on.
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you and watch over you. Psalm 32:8 (Msg)
Each of us will have times in our lives where we are forced to make a tough choices: choices where we can take the easy path OR where we can battle the obstacles that come our way with dignity and the knowledge that we are following what is RIGHT. These are the times where we can rise above mediocrity and complacency and serve as a positive example for others. And through our tough journeys, we are aided by God - the Creator of the entire universe. With Him on our side, how can we be defeated? I love this quote by Calvin Coolidge:
“Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan "press on" has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.”
For those of you who believe that Harry Potter has no place in a Christian library, consider reading this book by John Granger: Looking for God In Harry Potter. It addresses all of the concerns about God's Word, magic, Christian themes, etc. Written by a pastor and published by a Christian publishing company, it will definitely help you understand the other Christian themes weaved seamlessly throughout the entire saga.
I am a HUGE Harry Potter fan, and one of the things I try to show on this blog is how God can take ANYTHING and use it for His glory. The stories in Harry Potter demonstrate Christian principals again and again and again... You can find God anywhere... even at Hogwarts! :)
No comments:
Post a Comment