Ambassadors For Jesus - Family Matters Although action and adventure movies can be fun, I love a good dialogue movie. You know, one that speaks of the intricities of life and the human experience for in these movies we can relate to similar struggles in our lives. Such is the movie "You Can Count On Me" starring Laura Linney and Mark Ruffalo. I will begin with an overview of the movie and close with some helpful insights I felt I was able to capture throughout it. In this movie Laura and Mark play brother and sister. Mark visits Laura after a long absence and informs her that he had gotten out of prison and needed money. Linney tells him she is disappointed this was the reason for his visit. She seemed to really love him and was disheartened to find that his reason for visiting was more due to needing money. Well brother decides to stick around with her and her young son. Mark is kinda your typical "wild at heart" male while Linney's role reveals the "security and stability" many females value. On the surface he appears to be the "bad boy" type and she appears to be more "goody-two-shoes". Eventually she begins to have an affair with her married boss shortly after meeting his pregnant wife. She has this attractive and nice boyfriend that wants to marry her but she is now like questioning things in her life and opts for an affair with the married boss instead. Her life begins to unravel. During this she visits her minister to see if he will come and talk to her "wild at heart" brother because she is really concerned with his behavior. She is hoping her minister will enlighten him in regards to his wayward ways. How do I describe Mark in this movie? He is really into short term vision and looks to gratify his whims as they strike. He doesn't consider what he may be bringing onto others. So minister comes to talk to Mark while Laura is also present. This scene is great and the minister is wonderful in this movie too. You get the impression he is quite the good "third party" at viewing things. He informs Mark about Laura's concerns and Mark is looking at sis like he cannot believe she is doing this. Sis is real quiet too as if not real secure in her standing there anymore. Anyway, Mark doesn't betray what he knows about her but later looks to make her pay by not wanting to keep a promise to her son. Now Laura is really mad that he is taking his anger on her by denying him an anticipated fishing trip with his beloved Uncle. Eventually Mark has a change of heart and does keep his promise. In what appears to be strike of conscience, Laura feels the need to confess her double standards so she pays a visit to her minister. She tells him how hypocritical she felt regarding what she said about her brother considering how she's been behaving with this affair and all. When minister asks her why she felt she does what she does (like regarding the affair and dealing with her brother), she answers something like, "I don't know, I guess I feel sorry for them." Eventually, Mark does something really dumb and she decides to tell him that he has to move because she has her impressionable son to consider and all. And it's true, her son was growing quite attached to Mark and he wasn't the ideal role model. She wasn't perfect either but at least she didn't drag her son with her on her wild escapades. The movie closes with both of them sitting on a bench as they wait for Mark's bus to arrive. She is really sad and suggests that he stay in town while also mentioning her concerns about his lifestyle again. Believe it was something regarding like how will he manage as he isn't even sure of what he is doing and his game plan is so sketchy. Mark says he can't live in that town. It is too slow for his wild at heart ways. He needs to explore life and he can't live like her in that sense. You get the impression that maybe he would like to see her a bit more like him and she definitely would like to see him more settled like her. So she is teary about his leaving. You can see she really loves him and is truly concerned about his welfare. He tries to reassure her that he will be ok, tells her of his sketchy plans and promises to be back, then he's off on the bus. I can relate to that movie and I will share what I saw in it. On the surface some of us appear to be more "good" than others. Yet as the scene of our lives unfold, we find that at core, we are just like our brethren. In actuality none of us are good of ourselves and in need of healing. We all suffer from a broken relationship with Father. Thank God for Jesus. We also have the tendency to want to conform others to our idea of how they should be living their lives, which is generally what feels right for us. I think it is a natural thing for a man to be wild at heart and a woman to want more security and stability. And I don't say this as an excuse for us to indulge in things we shouldn't. The natural needs to take its place under the headship of Christ. Yet it is ok to have these God given differences. The problem appears to be when we try and conform others to our ideals. We should accept and love each other as we are, as the Lord does. And remember, acceptance doesn't mean approval of behavior. I don't believe that means that we need to stay in close relation to others that may be a negative influence and / or hurt us, especially if we are impressionable. Unless the Lord leads and if He does, He will supply the grace to see us through. I have also seen people go too far to one side in this area where they do not consider the effects they are having on those around them. It is fine to exercise our God-given differences and freedom. Yet while exploring our God-given differences we need to remember that we need to love first and foremost the Lord, then our neighbor as ourselves. If our God-given differences and freedom are hurting another, it may not be the wisest thing to exercise them just then. As Paul mentions in the bible, our liberty should not been seen beyond the love of God. Jesus actually said we hurt him when we hurt each other and I can see that for we are his body and He lives in us. So in exercising these things, we need to remember that we who are in Christ are no longer living under the old law within the old covenant, but on a relationship level brought about by the new covenant. Relationship calls for considering how our actions effect others, and they do. Our differences and liberty should not be treated as law. We should live by the greater law of the love of God as revealed in Jesus. And the ending of the story spoke to me of the importance in allowing others to spread their wings, while trusting them in the hands of the Lord. He knows what journey they need to be on to eventually hear his voice. Just like the Father let the prodigal son go. Although we can still carry them in our hearts and prayers. As a sidenote regarding viewing the movie, parental guidance and God given discerment is suggested due to some of the contents. Scripture references: Roman 2:1-29, 3:10-12, 1 Corinthians 8:9-13, Luke 15:11-32.

Ambassadors for Jesus

an Online Magazine

Family Matters

Although action and adventure movies can be fun, I love a good dialogue movie. You know, one that speaks of the intricities of life and the human experience for in these movies we can relate to similar struggles in our lives. Such is the movie "You Can Count On Me" starring Laura Linney and Mark Ruffalo. I will begin with an overview of the movie and close with some helpful insights I felt I was able to capture throughout it.

In this movie Laura and Mark play brother and sister. Mark visits Laura after a long absence and informs her that he had gotten out of prison and needed money. Linney tells him she is disappointed this was the reason for his visit. She seemed to really love him and was disheartened to find that his reason for visiting was more due to needing money. Well brother decides to stick around with her and her young son. Mark is kinda your typical "wild at heart" male while Linney's role reveals the "security and stability" many females value. On the surface he appears to be the "bad boy" type and she appears to be more "goody-two-shoes". Eventually she begins to have an affair with her married boss shortly after meeting his pregnant wife. She has this attractive and nice boyfriend that wants to marry her but she is now like questioning things in her life and opts for an affair with the married boss instead. Her life begins to unravel.

During this she visits her minister to see if he will come and talk to her "wild at heart" brother because she is really concerned with his behavior. She is hoping her minister will enlighten him in regards to his wayward ways. How do I describe Mark in this movie? He is really into short term vision and looks to gratify his whims as they strike. He doesn't consider what he may be bringing onto others.

So minister comes to talk to Mark while Laura is also present. This scene is great and the minister is wonderful in this movie too. You get the impression he is quite the good "third party" at viewing things. He informs Mark about Laura's concerns and Mark is looking at sis like he cannot believe she is doing this. Sis is real quiet too as if not real secure in her standing there anymore.

Anyway, Mark doesn't betray what he knows about her but later looks to make her pay by not wanting to keep a promise to her son. Now Laura is really mad that he is taking his anger on her by denying him an anticipated fishing trip with his beloved Uncle. Eventually Mark has a change of heart and does keep his promise.

In what appears to be strike of conscience, Laura feels the need to confess her double standards so she pays a visit to her minister. She tells him how hypocritical she felt regarding what she said about her brother considering how she's been behaving with this affair and all. When minister asks her why she felt she does what she does (like regarding the affair and dealing with her brother), she answers something like, "I don't know, I guess I feel sorry for them."

Eventually, Mark does something really dumb and she decides to tell him that he has to move because she has her impressionable son to consider and all. And it's true, her son was growing quite attached to Mark and he wasn't the ideal role model. She wasn't perfect either but at least she didn't drag her son with her on her wild escapades.

The movie closes with both of them sitting on a bench as they wait for Mark's bus to arrive. She is really sad and suggests that he stay in town while also mentioning her concerns about his lifestyle again. Believe it was something regarding like how will he manage as he isn't even sure of what he is doing and his game plan is so sketchy. Mark says he can't live in that town. It is too slow for his wild at heart ways. He needs to explore life and he can't live like her in that sense. You get the impression that maybe he would like to see her a bit more like him and she definitely would like to see him more settled like her. So she is teary about his leaving. You can see she really loves him and is truly concerned about his welfare. He tries to reassure her that he will be ok, tells her of his sketchy plans and promises to be back, then he's off on the bus.

I can relate to that movie and I will share what I saw in it.

On the surface some of us appear to be more "good" than others. Yet as the scene of our lives unfold, we find that at core, we are just like our brethren. In actuality none of us are good of ourselves and in need of healing. We all suffer from a broken relationship with Father. Thank God for Jesus.

We also have the tendency to want to conform others to our idea of how they should be living their lives, which is generally what feels right for us. I think it is a natural thing for a man to be wild at heart and a woman to want more security and stability. And I don't say this as an excuse for us to indulge in things we shouldn't. The natural needs to take its place under the headship of Christ. Yet it is ok to have these God given differences. The problem appears to be when we try and conform others to our ideals. We should accept and love each other as we are, as the Lord does. And remember, acceptance doesn't mean approval of behavior. I don't believe that means that we need to stay in close relation to others that may be a negative influence and / or hurt us, especially if we are impressionable. Unless the Lord leads and if He does, He will supply the grace to see us through.

I have also seen people go too far to one side in this area where they do not consider the effects they are having on those around them. It is fine to exercise our God-given differences and freedom. Yet while exploring our God-given differences we need to remember that we need to love first and foremost the Lord, then our neighbor as ourselves. If our God-given differences and freedom are hurting another, it may not be the wisest thing to exercise them just then. As Paul mentions in the bible, our liberty should not been seen beyond the love of God. Jesus actually said we hurt him when we hurt each other and I can see that for we are his body and He lives in us. So in exercising these things, we need to remember that we who are in Christ are no longer living under the old law within the old covenant, but on a relationship level brought about by the new covenant. Relationship calls for considering how our actions effect others, and they do. Our differences and liberty should not be treated as law. We should live by the greater law of the love of God as revealed in Jesus.

And the ending of the story spoke to me of the importance in allowing others to spread their wings, while trusting them in the hands of the Lord. He knows what journey they need to be on to eventually hear his voice. Just like the Father let the prodigal son go. Although we can still carry them in our hearts and prayers.

As a sidenote regarding viewing the movie, parental guidance and God given discerment is suggested due to some of the contents.

Scripture references: Roman 2:1-29, 3:10-12, 1 Corinthians 8:9-13, Luke 15:11-32.

jo@ambassadorsforjesus5.com