Who remembers the Chronicles of Narnia - specifically the movie versions produced by Disney between 2005 and 2010? Starring William Moseley, Anna Popplewell, Skander Keynes, and Georgie Henley as the titular Pevensie Kids, and later, Ben Barns and Will Poulter as their friends, the movies stayed relatively true to the books on which they were based and followed the children on their adventures through the magical world of Narnia.
While there, the children spent their time having tea with friendly fawns, fighting evil alongside the mighty Aslan, basking in warm Narnian summers, and learning that they were all braver and stronger than they thought. Every time they left Narnia, it was with a new understanding of who they were in the eyes of Aslan and a determination to bring his light back to their own world.
I absolutely loved the Narnia movies when I was younger! For a time, I pictured myself as the kind and lion-hearted Queen Lucy and, even to this day, I still rewatch them frequently, not only for the magic of their setting but also as a reminder that anyone can make a difference in this world, no matter how small or scared or weak they may feel.
There's one scene near the end of the second movie, Prince Caspian, that gives a wonderful illustration of this message. As the Pevensie children and their Narnian army begin to beat back their enemies, the opposing army begins to regroup at the foot of a bridge that, if kept, could turn the tide of the battle back in their favor. In an impressive display of mighty men and horse, the enemy army begins to thunder across the bridge, but something stops them. On the other side is the small and frail-looking Queen Lucy, all alone but standing tall. Staring straight through the tremendous evil in front of her, she doesn't say anything but simply draws a small dagger from its sheath and seemingly dares her enemy to try and cross the bridge. For one more moment, she stands alone before Aslan emerges from the shadow of the trees and joins her.
This one scene is an absolutely perfect picture of faith and trust in God. Lucy, a little girl with one small weapon, could stand in defiance of her enemy because she knew her God stood behind her. In the scene, she doesn't look back to make sure Aslan is there before taking her stand; she trusts that he is and makes that knowledge her strength. And, even though they don't understand why, just the sight of this bold little girl terrifies the enemy army. Deep down, they know she has a greater strength than they can see simply because she doesn't flinch, and they know that in that moment her tiny knife is more dangerous than the hundreds of swords behind them. In the end, Lucy's faith finishes the battle, and the day is won, not because she is mighty but because she has the power of a mighty God on her side.
This picture of faith could be applied to many things, but those of us in the Pro-Life fight can use it as inspiration for our own battles in our modern non-fantasy world. Just like Lucy, we have a giant evil charging at us that is unrelenting in its mission of destruction. It has a strong foothold in this world and it will take every opportunity it gets to regroup and take thousands of lives with it. We are the ones who can stand in the gap against it. Are we going to take that step forward to stop the onslaught of death rampaging through out world? We don't have to be afraid to do so because, even unseen to everyone else, we have a powerful God standing behind us in our cause. The Lord is our strength in this fight; he only asks that we trust that he is there and take the first step forward rather than looking back in doubt.
Finally, we can take one more spark of inspiration from the Prince Caspian movie. All is won, the Pevensies are heading home, and, as the credits start to roll, a song titled "The Call" begins to play low and soft in the background. Almost whispering, it speaks of a tiny thought that builds and builds until it becomes a battle cry of promise and power. One small moment can change everything, one whispering voice has the ability to inspire a thousand others into a roar. It only takes one person standing up for an idea to turn the tide.
As we enter the new year, let this be the battle cry of the Pro-Life movement. We are fighting in defense of the most innocent lives and we all have a part to play. Even if we feel small or scared or weak. Even if we can only speak truth in a whisper, that quite tone cane lead to a roar. But we must start somewhere. Our call this year is to be more powerful and bolder than before; let us do so with the knowledge that our God stands behind us and that anyone can make a difference.
Photo Credit: A Pilgrim in Narnia, Green Springs Baptist Church
Sources: Wikipedia (Narnia Movies)
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See Also: January 2022 Edition Other News and Book Review