The Transformation in Frozen

…for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice

but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline.

2 Timothy 1:7

Dear Friends,

Welcome back to our Fall programming! On Sunday, FLiCker! (our Sunday morning children’s ministry) started up. On Tuesday morning we gathered for Bible Study in the Office at Digging into the Word. Tonight is the first session of our youth confirmation class (Faith Explorations) for the Fall. And every Sunday in September, we’ll be having the Ministry Fair during worship to give you a chance to discover and choose where you can share your gifts and abilities and passions in our congregation.

Sunday was also the first week of Jesus Radio Superstar and the music team worked up Let It Go from the movie, Frozen. Well done music team! In my reflections on the song, I began by making the comment, “I have mixed feelings about this song…” I then proceeded to talk about the positive wisdom  of the song. This was basically the freedom that Elsa (the princess singing the song) experienced when she gave up trying to do what she thought everyone else wanted her to do and, instead, embraced her uniqueness in a way that empowered her. What I found to be not as positive was how she was so-o-o focused on herself:

·         I’m the queen…

·         I tried…

·         I don’t care…

·         The cold never bothered me anyway…

·         The fears that once controlled me can’t get to me at all

·         It’s time so see what I can do…

·         No rules for me…

·         I’m free.

·         My power flurries…

·         My soul spiraling…

·         I’m never going back…

Again, the discovery of one’s agency and claiming one power is a healthy and necessary part of one’s growth into maturity. The exuberance that we hear in the song is the completely understandable emphasis on the self and the freedom that comes with the discovery and claiming of one’s sense of individual identity. The more immature aspect is the rejection of any responsibility or even care for others.

On Sunday, I proposed that our faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ gives us a healthy balance of how to balance the embracing of self and responsibility to others. When we put our trust in Jesus and the real, abundant life that comes from following him and patterning our life on his teaching, then we experience affirmation in who we are as beautiful, complete children of God AND we discover the joy and fulfillment that comes in real connection and community with others. On Sunday, however, I failed to circle back and complete Elsa’s journey in Frozen…

The song Let It Go does not represent where she stays. She ends up returning to the kingdom and people that she felt so set free from. Eventually, the love for her sister propels her to risk her life so that her sister might be saved. This is the power of love. It is the key that moves us beyond our wants and desires and allows us to enter the realm of care and concern for others. Granted, Jesus` name is not used in the movie, but it is the power of love that illumines for Elsa that she can be her true self and use her abilities and uniqueness to benefit all… so that love, joy, peace, kindness and generosity can abound. Wherever and whenever this kind of selfless love is at work, God is at work.

May you let go of that which is holding you back from living out your faith so that you can say:

The fears that once controlled me can’t get to me at all.

It’s time so see what I can do…

in the name of Jesus!

Peace,

Pastor Phil