The Weekly Encourager – May 15, 2015 – Have Courage and Be Kind

Two new movies have restored my faith in Hollywood: "Noble" and "Cinderella." See them. Hope and healing. Courage and kindness.

“Noble” is the true story of Christina Noble, a feisty Irish girl who is abandoned and betrayed by her parents. As an orphan she endures much suffering, including physical violation and emotional beating, yet she never loses her faith in God. After each traumatic event, she cries out to the Lord and affirms that He is in charge of her life, therefore He must have something good to bring out of her suffering. The good news is that she's right! God did have a great plan for her life. She had a strong sense of calling to go and help the abandoned orphans in Viet Nam after the War, so she went. This is an amazing and inspiring true story of how God uses trials to prepare a person for productive ministry. She's always looking ahead with courage and hope, and she's willing to work hard to achieve her goals. Her faithful labor of kindness to “the least of these” becomes a path to healing, as she gives these lost children the love she missed. She finds joy and fulfillment in her new life in Viet Nam. What a beautiful testimony of grace!

I wasn't planning to see the latest version of “Cinderella,” but my husband recommended it so highly that I went along. What a treat! What a balm for my wounded heart. This is the story of a girl's grief in losing her beloved parents, and abuse by relatives who remain. Throughout her years of suffering, Cinderella holds on to the good advice she had learned from her parents, “Have courage and be kind.” I love how the filmmakers chose to repeat this saying over and over in the movie, inculcating this truth into young (and old) minds. It's a story of tragedy turned into triumph, a result of the girl's positive choice to be courageous and kind in every situation. Cinderella chooses to rise above the evil of others, doing good to her enemies. Her sincere forgiveness of the wicked stepmother shows her to be a princess indeed. Her grace under trial equipped her to rule a kingdom!

Neither of these are “Christian movies” per se, yet both reflect Christian values very strongly. Both women were refined as gold through suffering. Both showed their true quality and used their lives to bless others. Both are examples of hope, hard work, patience, faithfulness, obedience, courage, kindness, and many other virtues. There are so many bad role models in our culture today, we need to affirm those that are good and support them. Go see these films and take your friends. Open your heart; you will find true encouragement to carry on in whatever work the Lord has given you.

"Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things." - Philippians 4:8

Have courage and be kind,
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