Wishful Loving - NCCG.ORG Ning Network Archive 2008-10

I recently saw the classic movie called War and Peace by Tolstoy in which Audry Hepburn plays the dazzling young Natasha who is a member of the Russian Aristocracy at the time when Napoleon's troops were advancing across Europe and were defeated after having reached Moscow. It's a story about first being threatened by war, and then being thrust into the middle of it with all its uncertainty, and about admirable yet breakable young men and women who try to figure out how to live and love.

The film has all the makeup of greatness and splendour and is appetising to the eyes and emotions and the good outweighs evil comfortably throughout. It's like the Sound of Music on a larger scale.

The reason I wish to write about the film, however, is precisely because it does grip the heart at least of women and makes one wish to resemble the sparkly, easy going, ever-pleasant Natasha who had she not been in such caring circumstances would most likely have ended in tragedy on account of her embracing nature. Indeed the film displays a close encounter with that peril in the form of a young man making her believe he wishes to marry her but who intends to abuse her - she is saved, in spite of herself, by those who love her.

Now what is 'wrong' about Natasha? It's her entire setting - the way to love and be loved, the aristocratic game and winning ones marriage partner. She has a sweet disposition but truly all her surroundings are filled with overgrown children playing at life, and she plays with them. She enjoys the game and attatches herself to all her 'playmates' without regard for what is driving each encounter. In the film it all ends happily and no-one is ultimately dissappointed since people die at convenient times and everyone is only blessed by her 'magic touch' of sprinkling delighted love on them all just at the time they 'need' it. But trying to apply Natasha's character in ones own life is a big mistake. And the film makes doing so seem most right and proper, in fact she's the ideal, and all others fade in comparison, although they are the needed setting for her to sparkle from.

She loves her parents, who love her in return, especially her mother who is close to her. They read each other like open books, and it seems like paradise, but the thing is it is superficial. Their love remains untested and the 'gaity' would be lost had it been tested. So at all costs, keep life light, is the ultimate undercurrant message of the film. And THAT is the mistake. Love isn't light. Nor is it tragic to get deep, the only depth and soberness portrayed in War and Peace is that of unforgiveness and hatred.

At this point I come to the core of what I wish to say about the film. It pretends to portray all there is to human capacity: love, hatred, longing, fear, nobility, patience, beauty, danger, pain, etc.. but the fact is it remains shallow and 'safe' from where we all need to plunge if we intend to come to and unite with Yah'shua as His Bride.

The film is almost a warning against going deep. Because one is 'advised' to keep making sure one gets distracted. Natasha is almost the essence of this in the film. She is a delightful distraction and THAT is what is potrayed as the most worthwhile love - the 'true love'- but it is a lie. Distraction never solved anything. Rushing about in pretty dresses amongst flowers and sprinkling caring phrases is pretty and kind, but it is not the depth of love. That depth only comes when one dares to face the wounds of the soul and give them to Yah'shua for true healing. Only if one is zealous for truth and allows Him to speak it does one have a chance. No woman can heal a man, and no man can heal a woman. And it is only pretending if we think it happens. The point of marriage is not mutual worship and satisfaction in each other as is the message of Peace and War - the point is resembling Yahweh and uniting in gratitude and delight in Him.. Only then do the flowers and dresses and beauty of character have a vessel to float in. Only within Him and His law does a man become noble. To pretend it is possible without it is like playing at life and it is, as the preacher says, empty.

One can live 'happily' in any place if one pretends like the girl in Little Princess did, but if one dares to be honest, one will see that one is only wearing rags and is starved. All the world around us pretends. It takes courage to see and to ask for true Love from Him and to spread it. It takes courage to wake up. It takes courage to start to learn how to love, because it means one never did when one thought one did, and that one has neglected oneself and ones nearest, even family. It takes courage to see how blind they all are. But it's worth it. It's worth taking the first step, otherwise change will never come about and all will dance ignorantly over the cliff following their 'father' who taught them all the lies they put their trust in.

Dare to shine instead of dazzle. Dare to be firm in Him instead of jittering about and being pleasant. Dare to love instead of enjoying romance. Dare to care instead of distracting. Dare to follow Yahweh instead of your surroundings. Dare to study His law in the Bible so that Hollywood and other devilish messengers don't become your guides.

There is hope for those who are willing to have their eyes opened. May you go to Him and ask that HIS will be done so that you can feed on true love and not the crumbs of deluded men and women who prostitute their already limited portions from Him. Get your supply from above and you may witness and rescue them from their folly too.

May the source of love, Yahweh, who is Love, fill you and heal you I pray in Yah'shuas Name. Amen.

Author: Jannicke Larsen - Copyright (c) 2005 MLT - All rights reserved

Purchase the WHOLE Website by clicking here