“That was a memorable day to me, for it made great changes in me. But, it is the same with any life. Imagine one selected day struck out of it, and think how different its course would have been. Pause you who read this, and think for a moment of the long chain of iron or gold, of thorns or flowers, that would never have bound you, but for the formation of the first link on one memorable day.” Charles Dickens, Great Expectations
I’ve thought about this quote often, about how my life would be so different if one day was missing or if one day was changed. For each and every day has added to my life, added to my learning, added to my heart being changed. I don’t feel that I have lost anything or been deprived of anything in my life. I have only gained – wisdom, character, and treasures from heaven, poured out from the Father’s hand to me as gifts for my life.
Take yesterday for instance. My husband and I attended a preview showing of a new movie coming out on November 20. “The Blind Side” is about the life of Michael Oher, a homeless boy from inner city Memphis, who is encouraged to enroll at Briarcrest Christian School, a school attended by many wealthy Memphis kids. My former church started this school in 1973; my daughters attended this school and now my son-in-law coaches and teaches there.
Day after day Michael encounters many different challenges of being a poor African American kid in a rich, white world. These are hard things for a kid, but there are much harder things to overcome in life. What about the white family and the mother who adopted him? What were their challenges? What about Michael’s mother? What was I going through just watching this movie? The African American lady seated next to me kept turning to her friend and saying, “We’re gonna have to take this lady out on a stretcher before the movie is over. She’s not going to make it.”
"Heaven knows we need never be ashamed of our tears, for they are rain upon the blinding dust of earth, overlying our hard hearts." Charles Dickens, Great Expectations
How is our life changed by the things placed in our path? Think about that.
Here are other questions:
How was Michael Oher changed?
How was the adoptive family changed?
How was a school (Briarcrest) changed?
How were the teachers at Briarcrest (Wingate in the movie) changed?
How does a community change?
How does a country change?
Here’s the big question for me today? How has seeing this movie and hearing about Michael’s story changed me?
My first response as I sat in that movie was shame and embarrassment over much excess in my life. Those of us who live in rich white (not exclusively, but for the most part) Memphis don’t even see or think about the shady side of town. When I think about the needs of the people in the inner city, not material needs alone, but needs to have a better life, to be better people, I realize that only knowing Jesus Christ can bring that kind of change to a life. Most often these people are trapped. They only live what they know and they don’t know that they can have a different life. It is their legacy, it’s all they know. Education can only go so far.
Love can make the difference. When people want a changed life, they will look for it, but probably not until they are sick and tired of the life they have. The idiom, “You can take a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink”, fits here pretty well. I have many African American friends who I treasure, who love Jesus Christ and walk daily with him. But what about those who have never heard, and don't know. It does not matter the race, the culture, the city, or the country that people come from. I never wanted to live in Memphis, nor Little Rock, nor Russia. I even told God that years ago. Where did I find myself living? Memphis (3 times), Little Rock for 21 years, and Russia. God has taught me so much from going where I never wanted to go, and from the people in these places. These encounters have enriched my life, and changed me. I am so glad that God is in charge of my life.
As I have contemplated these questions this morning, my conclusion is that I simply want to be available to care for whoever God puts in my path. I want my life to count for Him. Wherever He sends me I will go, and whoever He sends to me I want to serve. This movie dug deep into my heart and did some plowing, which is always necessary for fresh growth.
Thank you Lord for the Touhy family, who were willing to experience loss and give up being comfortable to make Michael Oher’s comfort a priority. Thank you Lord for being in charge of me.
“Whatever things were assets to me, these I now consider a loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I continue to consider all these things as a loss for the sake of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. It is because of Him that I have experienced the loss of all those things. Indeed, I consider them rubbish in order to gain Christ.” Philippians 3: 7-8, International Standard Version
