Our neighbors lent us one of their DVD movies a few weeks ago. It’s a children’s movie called “Matilda,” and, although the movie was made twelve years ago, our neighbors assured us that our daughter Emma would love it.
We returned the movie yesterday.
During the few weeks we had it, Emma watched “Matilda” no less than a dozen times. It stars Danny DeVito as “Harry Wormwood” and Mara Wilson as his daughter “Matilda.” Harry and his wife are the worst parents ever. At one point Harry says to Matilda, “I'm smart; you're dumb. I'm big; you're small. I'm right, you're wrong. And there's nothing you can do about it.”
Later, when Matilda is reading a book (something’s she learned to do on her own since her parents refuse to let her attend school), Harry grabs the book from her, rips it up and asks, “What do you want a book for?”
Matilda answers, “To read.”
Harry yells back, “To read? Why would you want to read when you got the television set sitting right in front of you? There's nothing you can get from a book that you can't get from a television faster.”
Needless to say, life for Matilda isn’t very joyful. And it doesn’t get any better, at least at first, when she is finally allowed to attend school under the watch of the worst principal imaginable, Ms. Trunchbull. Ms. Trunchbull’s motto is: “Use the rod, beat the child.”
Harry likes it so much that he tells Ms. Trunchbull that it is a “terrific motto!” And when she inquires about his children, he says, “I got a boy, Mikey, and one mistake, Matilda.”
“They’re all mistakes, children!” Ms. Trunchbull responds. “Filthy, nasty things. Glad I never was one.”
Now, at this point, you are probably wondering why I would let my daughter watch this.
So I’ll tell you.
The reason I let Emma watch the movie, and watched it with her, is because it has two overarching themes that are two of the greatest bits of wisdom and truth in the world.
The first bit of wisdom is this: Reading great books is a wonderful and life-changing activity.
Matilda taps into all of this, and it transforms her.
The second bit of wisdom from the movie is this: There is nothing more powerful than love. Matilda’s teacher, Miss Honey, is the first person Matilda has ever met that truly loves her. You can see it in her eyes, hear it in her voice and watch it in her actions.
Miss Honey loves Matilda. In return, Matilda loves Miss Honey. And it transforms them both. Sadness turns into joy. Loneliness is replaced by fellowship. Confusion is traded for clarity. Timidity gives way to boldness. Tears turn to laughter. Despair becomes hope.
All because of love.
“Matilda” reminds me of the great gifts of reading and love. And these are two gifts I want to remind you about today.
What are you reading that is softening your heart and strengthening your mind?
And who are you loving and being loved by in a way that results in a life of fellowship and joy?
One of the great hopes for my church community is that we increasingly become the kind of place that fosters conversations surrounding the reading of great books, books that stir our thinking, melt our hearts, move us to action and draw us closer to the One whose story is told in that greatest of books, the Bible.
And more than that, I hope that our church increasingly becomes the kind of place that is characterized by great love, love for God and love for each other. 1 Corinthians 13 talks about this love. Jesus lived it.
I believe we can too.
