I’ve almost decided to newly-devote this blog to theological reflections–a fancy term for “deep, insightful, spiritual truths discovered in the everyday and mundane.” Movies especially catch my interest–probably because I like them so much, and watch them often. 
Most recently, I had the pleasure of watching The Tale of Despereaux, the story of a mouse who was a gentleman. I mean, in a nutshell, that was the plot. (It would also make a great tagline. ) It had a few real gems buried beneath its deceptively simple storyline; for example, it gave me a new perspective on offering a “sweet-smelling aroma” to the Lord. No, really.
But that was an obscure little side note, which I will gladly explain if you really wish to know. Probably more relevant, however, was all the stuff about fear.
See, this mouse, Despereaux, was not timid like mice are supposed to be–that is, like the other mice were. Instead, he was bold, almost fearless, refusing to cower at pictures of cats and carving knives. And the other mice, including his family, tried their very hardest to teach him to fear things, to be “normal,” to live a life of timidity. His father had one of the greatest lines in the whole movie: “There are so many wonderful things to be afraid of, if you will only appreciate how scary they are.” But Despereaux failed miserably at such lessons, opting instead to practice bravery, honour, and truth, like the knights in the stories he read. And, need I say it, Despereaux becomes the hero of the movie.
What keeps us from being heroes in our stories? Could it be fear? Have we come to appreciate how scary things are? Do we essentially live timidly, like mice, afraid to try new things because they might not turn out right? Afraid to explore the unknown because it might be dangerous?
Do you see how limiting this mindset can be? And unnecessarily so, for the Christian, because we have someOne on our side who is all-powerful, One who has conquered the grave–whom, then, shall we fear? Paul writes that God doesn’t give a spirit of fear, but power–power like when He raised Jesus from the dead, calmed the storm, or performed any number of miracles–both through Jesus and the prophets, in the Old and New Testaments. As Hillsong rightly sings, “The same power that conquered the grave lives in me, lives in me.”
Whom then shall I fear?
