We have recently spent untold hours watching the Star Wars movies, for the benefit of our son (my husband is a self-confessed addict). I have a natural reticence in letting my son watch these as inevitably he immediately thought that Darth Vader is the coolest "person" ever.
However, I have learnt a lot through this process about being a "relevant" follower of Jesus and (without compromising) learning lessons applicable to my walk with God, even in the Star Wars movie. I must admit I normally prefer the "head-in-the-sand" approach to these things.
Lessons learnt (so you don't have to endure the 10 odd hours of movie-viewing ;-))
1. Teaching my son about the value of the warnings against pride in the Bible. Pride is a sin and is exactly what drove Anakin a.k.a Darth Vader to become the evil he eventually came to be. We used this to look at some of the Kings in the Bible (eg. Solomon, Saul, Hezekiah, David, Pharaoh, Nebucadnezzar) who's fall was due to pride;
2. No matter how good we start out in life (Anakin), through our choices we can take the completely wrong road and end up without God for eternity;
3. The opposite of "The Dark Side" is "The Light"- Jesus is The Light.
John 1:5 International Standard Version (©2008)
And the light shines on in the darkness, and the darkness has never put it out
4. "The Force" is the Trinity. It moves in us through us and is in everything around us.
5. Chewbacca is representative of the Apostle Paul... No just kidding. I am not really someone who believes that we must find something spiritual in everything in order to be able to enjoy or live alongside the secular..okay maybe I am - But this has been useful to me.
May the Godhead be with you!
