My husband and I finally made it to go see the Green Lantern this weekend! I know we are a little behind…. but we are cheapskates….and it was playing at the dollar theater.
We absolutely love movies, and this one did not disappoint! Not only was the movie fantastic but the message it carried was incredible. It centered around the viral power of fear and fighting said fear with the power of will.
Without getting into too much of the lore of the movie, it is important to know that the Green Lanterns are a positive peacekeeping force of superheroes who harness the “green” power of will through their powered rings. Each hero is chosen by their ring and the one and only requirement of the rings’ choice is that they be absolutely fearless. In a surprising twist, a ring chooses Ryan Reynold’s character, Hal, to be the next Green Lantern. Hal seems to be emotionally paralyzed by his fear, and thus the fun begins.
When the big baddie Parallax attacks, He is an all-consuming force. He simply finds the fear inside each of his victims and draws it out of them and consumes it into himself growing larger and more fierce with each encounter.
I loved this picture of how fear operates: it is so true! When we have any fear or insecurity (which is simply the fear that we aren’t (fill in the blank here) enough) we have the most incredible radar for people’s words and actions that reinforce that fear. And each time we fish out anything that makes our fear feel justified we in essence copy it out of another person and take it into ourselves. And the fear grows…. and becomes stronger…
Hal, has become even more fearful after becoming the Green Lantern. ” The ring made a mistake!” He is told by another Green Lantern that “the ring saw something inside him that he may not yet be able to see.” In the climax of the movie, Hal’s love interest (played by the beautiful Blake Lively, whom I love!) drives in the life-changing stake: ”I see it.”
This simple, but powerful statement helps him to find the will to overcome his fear that He will never be good enough. Fortunately, we have a God who sees ‘it’ in us. We were created to be lights in this dark world, or lanterns if you will, with each of us given specific assignments to fulfill. Often times we look at the dreams God has put in our hearts and then look at ourselves and think: God, I think there’s been a mistake! But God is looking us straight in the eye saying: I see it. You may not, the world around you may not, your family may not, but I do. I can see exactly what is in you that suits this battlefield. I made you to overcome this and I am here with you. I see it.
I didn’t just make this speech from God up. You can read it for yourself. It is pretty much covering every page of the bible, but here are a few specific places you can find it:
1 Chronicles 28:20 David also said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the LORD is finished.
Isaiah 41:10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.Psalm 139:13-14 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.Jeremiah 29:11 ”For I know the plans I have for you.” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
