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Believe in yourself. Follow your dreams. Strive to be all that you can be.
For those who love to root for the underdog overcomer, Dreamworks’ latest animation feature, Kung Fu Panda, offers clumsy, pudgy panda Po (voiced by Jack Black). Everyone who’s ever felt like a social misfit can identify with Po. As a pokey, out of shape kung fu fanatic, he dreams of being a kung fu master. In Po’s case, big dreams translate into reality, when he is unexpectedly identified as ‘The Chosen One’ to fulfill an ancient prophecy. With enemies at the gates, Po joins an elite group to study kung fu and prep under the tutelage of the witty Master Shifu (voiced by Dustin Hoffman) for the big fight ahead. Obstacles abound, but Po persists in the midst of adversity, follows his heart and overcomes.
Why is it that everyone loves a storyline where the underdog overcomes? Given what the Darwinian evolutionists try to tell us about ‘survival of the fittest’, we should all be hardwired to love the ‘might makes right’ storyline. But we aren’t! Perhaps part of the reason is because buried deep within the human story is a built-in inclination toward the message of Jesus’ cross and resurrection. Jesus was the ultimate overcomer when He conquered sin and death. The Bible describes it this way:
Since the children are made of flesh and blood, it's logical that the Savior took on flesh and blood in order to rescue them by his death. By embracing death, taking it into himself, he destroyed the Devil's hold on death and freed all who cower through life, scared to death of death (Hebrew 2:14-15, The Message).
Jesus was the real ‘Chosen One’ when it comes to conquering the real enemy! So look for opportunities to share this Good News with your unreached friends. Here are a few ideas that might help you move the conversation toward God-talk:
• Ask your friends what other movie/TV characters they can think of that have been referred to as ‘The One’ or ‘The Chosen One.’ (i.e., Neo in The Matrix, Anakin Skywalker in Star Wars, Buffy Summers in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Homer Simpson in the episode “Homer the Great,” Jet Li in The One.)
• Why do you think ‘the Chosen One’ is such a recurring theme in so many stories?
• Ask your friends if they can think of any real people in history that fit the description of being ‘The Chosen One’? Listen, then share what you believe about Jesus as the Savior of the world. Share about His unique life and death as God in human form. For help with this, check out the ‘Paying the price for sin’ part of the GOSPEL Journey on the dare2share.org website.
• Do you think that ‘believing in yourself’ is enough to get you through the tough stuff of life? Why or why not? Listen, then share how ‘believing in Jesus’ has changed your life and helps you get through the tough stuff when it comes crashing into your world.
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In the spiritual realm, The One who has fulfilled prophecy and overcome the enemy is Jesus Christ. So buff up, hone your outreach skills and share the Good News with your friends who don’t know Jesus.
Jane Dratz serves as Editor for Dare 2 Share Ministries (D2S) in Arvada, Colorado, a ministry committed to energizing and equipping teenagers to know, live, share and own their faith in Jesus. For more information about D2S, please visit www.dare2share.org.
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Jane Dratz works for Dare 2 Share Ministries in Arvada, Colo., a ministry committed to energizing and equipping teens to know, live, share and own their faith in Jesus. For more information on Dare 2 Share Ministries, please visit www.dare2share.org. Send feedback to jane@dare2share.org.
