There’s been a theme in the films I’ve watched recently. ‘A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood’ is based on the life Mr Rogers, and American TV presenter who was wholesome and fair-minded and promoted love and equality with all. ‘The Incredibles 2’ is obviously a sequel and focuses on superheroes proving they can be trusted. ‘Paddington 2’, also a sequel, is the follow on adventures of Paddington as he tries to get his Aunt Lucy a birthday present.
Each of these films has talked about seeing the good in other people. Mr Rogers teaches about morality and tolerance in his show, and the film is specifically centred around forgiveness and looking for the good things. Elastagirl has a conversation with the main villain where the villain sneers at Elastagirl trusting people she’s only just met while Elastagirl explains that anyone can count on her – she is wired to see assume the best of people until proven otherwise.
But it was Paddington that brought this home. Wherever he went, Paddington was cheerful and optimistic. He took people at the word. Part of the film shows him interacting with the street’s residents, waving hello, giving them breakfast and helping them. Later, when Paddington isn’t around, you see them a bit more grumpy and a little less understanding of each other. On his adventures, Paddington comes across some criminals. But in chooses to see the best in the people he met, Paddington brought out the best in them.
It was this film that really struck me. We can look at the people around us and make judgements quickly. We can focus on the things that annoy us very easily. But seeing the best in people? That takes practice. And yet, when we choose to see the best in people we bring that to the forefront. We give them affirmation and confidence.
God could have chosen to make judgements on the worst parts. But instead he chose to see the good. Take any bible hero – none of them are perfect. But God chooses to see the good and in doing so brings the good to the forefront.
Gideon, hiding in a hole scared for his life becomes a leader of an army, leading his people to victory. Moses, murderer and self-doubter, stands up to Pharaoh and gets the Israelites released. Peter, impulsive and loud, used to spread the gospel to Jews and played a large part on the spread of the early church.
That’s three examples without really thinking, they are plenty more to explore. Maybe we should take a leaf out of that book. Maybe we should look for the good in people instead of focusing on the bits that rub us up to wrong way. By doing that, we can help the people around us to grow.
But let’s not stop there. Why not try and see the good inside ourselves? Not the buts we want to hide, not the bits we don’t like or beat ourselves up over, but the good bits – it’s OK to acknowledge and celebrate the bits we like. Afterall, God sees and celebrate them!
The Reason for my Hope Blog 