Onward!

 To start off with, if you haven’t watched Onward you totally should. It is such a great movie about family, identity, and adventure.  This movie is about two brothers, Ian and Barley. They end up going on an adventure together. While on this journey, Barley teaches Ian how to be a wizard. At one point they end up at this chasm with a drawbridge. The only problem is the lever is on the other side of the chasm. Ian has to use magic to make an invisible bridge, called a Trust Bridge to get across. 

This scene is one of many of the most powerful scenes in the movie. Ian has to, “believe with every step.” Ian believes that he needs a safety rope to actually be able to make it across. Halfway there, Barley sees the rope falling off his brother. While Barley watched, afraid for his brother, Ian continues to grow bolder and even teases that he could walk on air all day. At his last step, he looks back and his step falters as he realizes his back-up plan is gone. 

There is so much in this scene that we can learn from. First, I just love how Barley encourages Ian to walk across. Barley saw the Ian’s potential instead of what Ian thought of himself. He knew Ian could achieve the greater things than he thought he could. Another things this scene makes me think about is a story in the Bible. In Matthew 14:27-33* Peter walks on water when Jesus tells him to come to him. Jesus tells the disciples, “Take Courage. I am here!” Peter then, without a second thought, walked out onto the water. However that Bible says that when Peter, “saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink.” After Jesus saves Peter, he asks, “Why did you doubt me?” 

These two stories show us so much about faith. Through faith, God can do amazing things through us. We can do things that we never thought were possible. Yet we tend to look around and realize what exactly is going on around us. We let fear stop us from moving forward. God gives us the courage to act in faith; to do things without seeing how its going to work or even how it is going to end. By believing in what God says without having solid proof, begins the opportunity for God to work through you. This is why, in Luke 17:6*, Jesus says, “If you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘ May you be uprooted and be planted in the sea’ and it would obey you!” The smallest of faith is powerful , especially when you put that faith and trust in God. When you do not know what to do believe that God is working. Put your faith in Him. 

Faith: complete trust or confidence in someone or something. (Definition from Oxford Languages)

* translation: NLT- New Living Translation