His Destiny...Was to Change Ours

His destiny...was to change ours.

Luk 2:11
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

That brief saying and Bible verse is on a dark blue t-shirt that I bought at a Christian book store yesterday. There is a beautiful white, artistic print picture of Mary and Jesus on the shirt. She is sitting behind the manger with her arms outstretched, about to embrace the baby Jesus.

Have you embraced Jesus?

Is He Lord and Savior of your life?

I am reminded of some of the scenes in the movie Forrest Gump.

After Forrest and Lt. Dan drank alcohol and celebrated with two women at a bar on New Year's Eve, they went back to Dan's apartment to continue the party.

One woman, after an unsuccessful attempt to get Forrest to have sex with her, asked, "Is your friend stupid or somethin?"

The woman with Dan mockingly asked something like this, "Yeah, what's the matter...did he lose "it" in the war or somethin?"

Lt. Dan, (in a wheelchair due to losing both legs in the Vietnam war) became very angry at both women. He proceeded to take the woman who was sitting half naked on his own lap and pushed her off. He fired back, "Don't call him 'stupid.' "

One could not help but notice how the woman with Dan "turned on a dime," so to speak. She began calling Lt. Dan names like "loser," and "cripple," etc. because in the next moment, he had fallen off of his wheelchair.

What a contrast, huh?

One moment she was all hyped up, about to have sex with him and the next moment she was nasty and berating him. Talk about fake love and feigned friendship! Both women left, still yelling epithets at the two of them.

Forrest apologized to Lt. Dan for breaking up the party. He briefly explained his disgust with the woman because she, apparently, deeply kissed him and he said, "she tasted like cigarettes."

A bit later in this scene, Lt. Dan asks Forrest, "Have you found Jesus yet?"

Forrest answered, "I didn't know I was supposed to be looking for him."

Doesn't that describe our society today? Many people are out there celebrating Christmas, without recognizing the true meaning and value of this blessed holiday. Many, unfortunately, ignore that His destiny was to change ours.

Lt. Dan then described to Forrest what often happens during his visits to the disabled veteran's hall. He said something like, "That's all those vets talk about...Jesus this...and Jesus that. If I accept Jesus into my heart, I will one day walk with Him in the kingdom of heaven. Did you hear that Forrest? I will walk. But I have to help myself."

And Lt. Dan Taylor, shows how people's minds can change through the years, when, at first, all he desires to do is to die in the camp with his fellow soldiers; yet years later, ends up thanking Forrest, whose actions (despite Dan's anger at first) saved him from an early demise.

Back in the scene where Dan and Forrest had partnered up to become successful shrimp boat entrepreneurs, Lt. Dan thanks Forrest for "saving his life." In the narrative part of the film, Forrest waas speaking about Lt. Dan and says, "I think he had made his peace with God."

This portion of the film may have seemed a small and insignificant part to many movie-goers, commentators and critics. But it served as a powerful message to many in the Christian audience, who recognized it's importance and significance.

This sub-story within the story of Forrest Gump is an example of how "Jesus' destiny was to change ours."

Today, while (unsuccessfully) attempting to find the exact script lines used, I came across this link that contained 74 pages of opinions and comments!

Wow!

Not going to get through that large a list today!

I was a bit surprised to find so many reviewers who absoluted hated this classic film! Perhaps one man's post might explain at least one of the reasons for such hatred :

Absolutely awful concatenation of lachrymose sentimentality and right-wing politics. I hated this movie with an intensity that cannot be measured. This was one of the most inward looking American movies to be seen in a long time. Americans seem to believe that there is no other country outside "Godzone"

Ah ha! Someone actually did notice the message about Jesus within this film, but as we can see, he personally hated and rejected it outright!

But believers see a different kind of message. We see that God can use anyone, (including someone with limited mental capacity like Forrest) to help transform someone else's life and show him/her the path to Jesus and reconciliation with God.

Forrest's efforts helped to transform Lt. Dan's life. This presents one of the most emotional moments of the whole film when Dan comes to visit for the wedding between Gump and his doomed wife, Jenny - and is able to walk on artificial limbs, obviously happy to be alive. Forrest called them "magic legs" recalling his disability as a child when he needed to wear braces on his own legs.

Another transformed life through Jesus Christ!

Jesus Christ's destiny...was, and is to change ours.

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son,that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish,but have everlasting life." John 3:16

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Be sure to visit Charlie's "Christmas Encounters" at AnotherThink!

Christmas Encounters part 1 - 4

Don't miss this one, either:

2006 Christmas Message: Redemption Provided

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