the Incredibles and the Spiritual Family

[Just a note here at the beginning. This is an excerpt from my own journal that I thought some might like. It's a bit off center for me and so be aware of that. In no way am I "endorsing" watching this movie. The insights I saw were obtained by considering what wrong things the movie portrayed, not some great thing that I think everyone should see. It's also a bit long for a post and I apologize in advance, but like I said- it's taken from my journal and sometimes I'm a bit long-winded...]

In this tale of a super-hero family we see Dad and Mom, brother and sister working together against the forces of evil. Using the powers that they naturally have they learn how to rely on one another, and actually learn more about themselves in the process. Ok, now I fully admit that drawing lines from Disney's idea of a family working together to some deep truth is about as off the wall as watching Barney'’s First Car on a Sunday night as a foundation to a Bible study. But really there is an interesting truth here.

As a basis we know that Satan would like nothing more than to make our family useless. He will mock God and cause others to do so, but often he doesn'’t even need to go that far. If he can merely imitate something that God has than he can tempt even the staunchest “"saint"” with something that seems, and is good. The only problem is that the original, Jehovah'’s is the only one that is the best.

So what does this have to do with The Incredibles? What does the modern-day Christian family have to compare with this unreal fantasy?

God designed the family first of all. He created an order and a system for them to follow. These things are ordained and not really a suggestion because we are the creation and He is the creator.

But too often we stop there.

What about the gifts? The personalities, the things that make a family a family, the "“superhero powers"” if you will. Each person in the Christian family has been given abilities by our Almighty God. Satan would like us to limit that to things like being able to fly, create force fields, superhuman strength, or even being able to stretch our limbs for yards. Why would he like that? Because it keeps in the physical realm.

You see, the whole idea of being a superhero is limited to time, space, things you can see. Even when one of those guys becomes invisible it'’s "“incredible"” because they just stepped out of a very physical part of our life.

But Satan, the forces of darkness, and every creature from the lowest demon to the highest archangel to our Eternal Father Jehovah God himself, they all live in the Spiritual. The Super-Physical. And from that realm came our gifts, talents, and abilities as ordained by our Father!

What we see many times is an individual that taps into a gift or develops a relationship with the Father that allows him to become powerful in the spiritual realm. We know that he is because we see the Lord being active on his part in the physical, and he has that "“excellent spirit within him."

But what about the family?

Why is it always an individual that sets out and does great things for God and many times the family is "“normal"”? How worthless the individual Mr. Incredible looked compared to the dad Mr. Incredible! Together the family overcame obstacles that they had never faced before, and they came out victorious! Even their own personal lives were more enjoyable after they tapped into the super-physical.

Do I realize the gifts that my family has? What am I overlooking among my siblings and even my parents when I set out to be big Number One? May I never be an island as a family, but realize that we are a designed organism dependant on one another.

I must be willing to develop this when I begin my own family as well. To nurture the spiritual part of my children and bring them up being aware of their gifts and talents. Not as things to deal with, or even to "“overcome"” as we he hear in the Basic Seminar, but as assets to our family.

The idea of a family that is united for a Cause and that daily engages in the Realm that really matters is truly Incredible.

a lesson from a colonel

This afternoon some friends and I drove down to PA to see the Gettysburg battlefield. The place was full of history and I must admit history isn't one of my favorite pastimes. Others in our group however were as thrilled about everything as if they'd found out they'd inherited millions! I know it's wrong but my natural inclination is to recoil and turn into an Ebenezer Scrooge type of person that shuts out everyone else.

 

At one of the many stops of this endless tour I wondered down a trail to a spot that I remembered from history. (Ok, I'll admit I remembered it from the movie Gettysburg, but that was historical right??) This was the far left flank of the Union army. The 20th Main regiment had entrenched themselves here under the authority of Col. Joshua Chamberlain. This incredible leader was a student at a seminary when the war broke out. Having no previous education at a military academy or outer such institution he rose in the ranks until he became the commander of this famous division.

 

Their mission was very simple: "Defend whatever the cost." To these warriors that meant they would either leave the field that day as victors or as mere memories of what used to be the 20th Main before they were all slaughtered. If you've seen the movie or are familiar with the history than you know what happened. Col. Chamberlain passed on to his men his orders and told them that if they broke than the rest of the Union army, and possibly the whole war would be lost.

 

The rebel army attacked, and the 20th Main fought like animals. When all seemed lost Col. Chamberlain ordered a bayonet charge and with one final thrust the victory was seized and the 20th Main was spared to fight another day.

 

As I stood on that spot where this incredible leader inspired his men nearly 150 years ago I was awestruck with the size. Here is a plot of land the size of a typical backyard. A short stone wall winding around in a rough semi-circle some 40 feet or so is all it was. You can walk up the trail to the right and see where the other regiments were stationed along the way, but to the left there is nothing. And really when you look at the amount of land they had it was nothing.

 

But did Col. Chamberlain give it up because he held this little piece of land? Did he take a back seat because he didn't have the training that other more superior officers had? No.

He was faithful in the little things that he was given. Sure, looking at it now Little Round Top wasn't small at all, but at the time this unknown officer from Main had no idea. His authority spoke, and he was faithful.

 

Now relate that to my attitude going to this historical site. The Lord wants me to be faithful in the small things too, and though some times (most times) I don't see how vital the battle is, the potential is always there to be victorious. Maybe it'll matter for eternity, maybe not but do I really want to take that chance?

looking at nature

Ok now I realize that I've now written two posts in a row about trees and nature and stuff, but fear not. I've not gone off the deep end and have no desires to lay my life down for a tree, bug, or other such creature.

All of that aside though, I've been struggling with an area of my life and the Lord has used nature to show me a new perspective. I was out praying this afternoon, a great way to spend a Sunday, and bringing these different issues up before the Lord. I read through the Psalms and throughout the ones that I read this recurring theme kept coming up: Nature praises the Lord. Now they don't sing Shout To the Lord, hold prayer meetings, or listen to their local Christian radio station, but they praise Him. They bring Him joy by following the laws of nature and doing exactly what they were made to do. Earlier this week I was reading about the beasts in Revelation that praise His name day and night. Why? Because they're created to do that.

Now here's a question. What happens when something goes wrong? Let's say there's this beautiful field of wheat- a creation like no man can invent. Along comes a combine and "destroys" the field. Does the wheat raise a fist in protest, or throw a fit? No.

Or what about the wild flowers. They're covered with pollen and insects crawl around them and in a sense reproduce the plant. (Botanitsts would cringe at my ignorance, but that's it in brief right?) Now does the flower get such a kick out of reproduction that it just quits it all and dies right then? Well of course not.

One more. What about when a child stirs up an anthill. This is a great tragedy! But do the ants throw in the towel and sit there in distress? No!

So why is it so hard when we, a creature made by the Hand of an Almighty and Compassionate Father, get distracted? These can be horrible terrible things like a death in the family, a sickness or financial burden, or even wonderful beautiful things like marriage, a job promotion, or a call to ministry! But in the heat of battle do we lose focus?

The warrior must not anticipate the next battlefield only to be cut down on this battlefield. His eyes must always be to his commander. The mission may be a dream come true, the fight intense, but if he gets so excited what is coming up that he abandons his commander, he's a failure.

For quite some times nature has followed our Commander. Perhaps we can learn something here.

be planted

Do you ever get hit with a topic that's either controversial, or perhaps you know deep down you just don't agree with it? Often that happens to me and it's frustrating because I know that the Scripture holds the truth but I must take the time to find it. Even convictions pertaining to the simplest areas of daily life, if they're not firm, can blow away like chaff.

In Psalm 1 I read this morning about the godly man who is discribed as "a tree planted by rivers of water..." That word "planted" discribes a firm root system. One that didn't spring up in a day or even a month. That godly man is one who is not swayed when someone approaches him with a new word of "truth". He doesn't move when he's tempted with an exciting opportunity that would only require a minor comprimise.

It's interesting that the tree "produces its fruit in his season" while the wicked, who are discribed like chaff, have no seed whatsoever. They can't even produce a single blade of grass. Their fruit will not prosper and whatsoever they do will fail, or die.

So be rooted! Be planted! Seek the Lord in what you believe, but also know why you believe it!