My Life’s Work!

My family occasionally like to have a “movie night.” You know, the deal complete with popcorn and coke, TV trays and a good (wholesome) flick.

The “wholesome” part is getting harder and harder to pull off. Most often we use a little device called, “Clearplay” in order to assure nothing objectionable gets by. Click here if you would like to know more.

Bout the only type of movie we don’t use it for are the “G” rated ones. But we have confidence in Hollywood—given time and a continued moral vacuum they should be able to turn even the “G” rated films and animations into the equivalent of TV’s “Family Guy.”

But I digress.

The other night we watched a film called, “Inkheart” — pretty innocent — pretty cheesy too. But one scene struck me because a tired and overused line was once again applied to trivia.

Let me explain.

This is a movie about someone who has the magical powers to make the things he reads come to life. So, for example, if he reads about a herd of elephants stampeding through your living room—that’s what happens.

Pretty interesting premise—not so interesting movie.

But at one point, an old aunt of the main dude finds some shady characters (brought to life) ransacking her prized library of rare books. Ransacking is too nice. Basically, they trashed the place—burned it to the ground.

Naturally, she was a bit upset about this. That’s when she uttered the line I’ve heard dozens of times in movies,

“Oh No! My life’s work—ruined!”

For some reason, this time it bothered me more than usual. Maybe it’s because I was only half watching the movie with the kids and half working on my message in Hebrews—who knows? But what bothered me was that any man or woman made in the image of God—meant for great things—would ever sum up their life by a pile of books.

Or a pile of any thing for that matter.

You were meant for so much more.

I hope when I am old and gray the only thing I associate with “my life’s work” also coincides with God’s life work.

An old preacher friend of mine—who went home to be with Jesus many years ago—used to say this a lot:

Only one life will soon be past.

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Wise words