So What!

Luke 9:25, “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost?”

We had movie night this past Friday and we watched, ‘Freedom Writers.’ This was a very compelling movie, as the young female teacher was able to go against all odds (students, school administration, and staff) and help the students she was assigned to teach. The students were considered ‘at-risk’ and basically given up on by the school system, and the protagonist (the teacher) in the movie helped them achieve levels of education they never thought possible.

Her teaching theory is now practiced in many schools around the country, and the stories of those first students have been published in a book with the same title as the movie, ‘Freedom Writers.’ I have read a portion of the book and the stories are touching and heart-breaking. There is no taking away what this teacher did for these students as it pertains to education.

As we discussed the movie afterwards, I asked the question, “So What?” By this I mean, so what that she was able to take these gang members, trouble makers and help many of them achieve goals never imagined by them. Many went onto college. But, so what?

Through the entire movie it was based on the philosophy, “you do it . . . you did it . . . you can do it . . . you, you, you.” What happens if we have these well educated at-risk children, but they never hear about the salvation of Christ? I will tell you the answer, so what. It will not get them into the Kingdom of God, and they will be well educated and Hell bound.

Most of us watch the movie and think, man that is awesome. They are going to make something of themselves. They are going to be able to live the American Dream. They can now make more money, buy houses, cars, and stuff. Isn’t that awesome!! Read Ecclesiastes some time for the answer. I will give you the short form. So what. Yes, she did great things with these kids. She helped them achieve advantages they might never have thought possible, but she was not able to give them the eternal advantage, Jesus Christ. Either out of choice, or not knowing herself.

American Christianity becomes too caught up in the ‘American Dream’ at times and forgets the reality of looking Heavenward. It is not worth being a multi-millionaire, straight ‘A’ lost soul. Much better to be living under a box, never graduating high-school and knowing Christ as Savior.

Ecclesiastes 6:7, “All the labor of man is for his mouth, And yet the soul is not satisfied.”