Why Did I Get Married

I've heard numerous people say that "Why Did I Get Married" is the best movie Perry has every made. The short synopsis of the movie is that several married couples gathered for a weekend trip to search their soul and discuss why they decided to marry their spouses. Though most of the marriages were good, numerous "bad" things happened over time that made them ponder if they made they right decision; if they needed to stay with their spouses.
As I think about the fact that those couples raised that question in the movie, I believe God has asked himself that question billions of time. The NT Testament speaks about how God is married to the church and that we are his bride. I'm sure if any of us were to take a short evaluation of some of the things we've done just today, we would have to agree we haven't been the best partner to God. But we are not the first ones to disappoint God. The Israelites in the Old Testament did the same. In an effort explain how God feels when we do "bad" things, God used the prophet Hosea to tell the story about his cheating wife. At the end of the day, despite all the cheating and illegitimate kids she had, Hosea took his wife back because he loved her and, most importantly, because he made a covenant to remain in relationship in sickness and health, good or bad, until death do us apart.. The same is true for us. Regardless of how much wrong we do, God still loves us and he honors his covenant.

Peace!

Tyler Perry, God, and Jesus

A few years ago I wrote a sermon for my youth group in which I used Tyler Perry and his numerous roles to explain God and his numerous roles. Though I know this example falls apart on so many levels, my youth still found it helpful. First, Tyler Perry conceives all of his plays and movies in his mind. He then turns around and writes the script, from beginning to end, for what he conceived in his mind. Perry then uses all of his resources to make what he initially saw in his mind come to life. What's most interesting is that though Perry is the creator, write, and producer, he is also the leading character, Madea, in most of his work. Is it me or does this help us understand God a little better? God conceived the world and everything in it in his mind. God (author and finisher of our faith) wrote the script for what he created. God then uses all of his resources to ensure what he conceived and wrote comes to pass. Finally, Jesus, God reincarnated, will forever be the leading character because he died for all of our sins. Hey, you may not like this comparison, but it worked for my kids:)

Peace!

Madea Goes to Jail

"Madea Goes to Jail" is one of the funniest Tyler Perry plays I've ever seen. The most hilarious part of the movie to me is at the beginning when Madea does numerous extreme crimes such as pick up a car with a fork lift and try to fight the police. Though Madea knew she was wrong, she acted on impulse and ultimately landed herself in jail.
As I think about Madea's actions I cannot help but acknowledge that bad decisions always have consequences. The consequences of Madea's bad decisions landed her in jail.
A biblical character whose life parallels this instance in Madea's life is Jonah. God told Jonah to go to a certain place to spread the Word. However, he made the bad decision to board a ship and get far, far, far away from dodge. Jonah's disobedience--bad decision--ultimately landed him in the belly of the whale, which I view as a type of jail.
The reality is many of us are in some type of "jail" situation today because of bad decisions we may have made in the past. As we move forward, I want to encourage everyone to always remember to stop and think before you act. Taking a few seconds or minutes to think before we act could mean ensuring we are able to enjoy the future freedom God intends for all of us.

Peace!