Wednesday, March 12, 2008

How Will They Know Series

 

Matthew 11:28  “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.” 

 

Lines from an Old Movie

 

Have you ever seen the original A Star is Born?  It was the 1934 version with Janet Gaynor and Frederic March, the story of a beautiful young woman who comes to Hollywood and falls in love with an aging and established star and marries him.  She becomes a famous star and greatly popular. His life declines through incessant drinking.   Tragically one day he takes his own life.  She is about to leave Hollywood when her grandmother arrives from her small town and they have this discussion. 

 

 Granny: Sit down.  Is it true you are going to quit the movies?  

 Vicki Lester: I never want to hear of them again.  

 Granny: What are you running away from, little girl?

Vicki Lester: I’m not running away.  It’s just, I can’t go on.  My heart is not in it anymore.

Granny: Once I told you if you get what you want you have to give your heart in exchange and you said you were willing, remember?

Vicki Lester: I remember.

Granny: It seems to me that you got more than you bargained for, more fame, more success, even more personal happiness maybe more unhappiness.  But you did make a bargain and now you are whining over it.   I think I would not  feel so proud of myself right now if I were you.

Vicki Lester: I’m not, Granny.  But my mind is made up.  

Granny: Then I’m sorry I gave you the money to come out here.  It was just wasted. I was proud of you.  I was proud to be the grandmother of Vicki Lester.  It gave me something to live for.  

Vicki Lester: I want to be strong.  It’s just that I can’t go on.  My heart’s not in it anymore.

Granny: You must.  If you meet tragedy head on and meet it bravely it will leave you stronger than it found you.  If not then you have to live all your life as a coward because no matter where you may run you can’t fun away from yourself.

 

These are lines that have been insightful to me and given me pause to think as my life unfolded, especially the lines that said, “It seems  to me that you got more than you bargained for, more fame, more success, even more personal happiness, maybe more unhappiness.”  I believe that is true of my life.  I got much more than I expected, “even more personal happiness, maybe more unhappiness” in being a successful Methodist minister.     I’ve also learned to meet tragedy head on and to meet it bravely.  I can affirm the grandmother’s lines. “It will leave you stronger than it found you and if you run away you can’t run away from yourself.” 

 

 I watched this movie with a friend at Emory the last night before I came to be a pastor at my first church.   It is funny how some things stay with you and give you insight.  

 

Prayer:

Dear God, help me to see inside of myself and to interpret God in my struggles.   Amen.