"Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me." -Philippians 3:12
"Pooh may have very little brains but he has the biggest of hearts."
As my grandma and I watched the new Winnie the Pooh spinoff, Christopher Robin, I couldn't help but fall in love with the preciousness of it all. What strikes me the most about Pooh Bear is that he has a heart unhindered by circumstance. The glass is always half-full- and overflowing at that. Pooh can teach us a lot about the kind of people that God calls us to be. His personality shines a light on the significance of perspective, heart, perseverance, being yourself, living in the present, taking each day one step at a time, and delighting in silliness. Rather than his thoughts controlling his heart, his heart naturally controls his thoughts. His perspective is shaped by the overflowing amount of love that is effortlessly contained inside of him. He lives his life in authenticity- making it seem as if focusing on the important things is the most obvious thing to do in a world that focuses on the unimportant, fleeting aspects of existence. He lives simply, and that is something that I yearn to do; what a life that must be.
That silly old bear teaches us to never delay our future by getting tripped up by the past: "I always get to where I'm going by walking away from where I've been." This is much similar to scripture, when Paul says: "I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me." -Philippians 3:12
Pooh reminds us that silliness is one of the keys to living a life of freedom. Too much seriousness can all too often ensnare us and steal our joy: "Christopher Robin: 'That's a silly explanation.' Winnie the Pooh: 'Why, thank you.'"
He shows us that every detail of our lives does not have to be planned out. Sporadic adventures sometimes lead to the grandest of memories: "Doing nothing often leads to the very best kind of something."
Lastly, this movie as a whole teaches us that in order to live our best, most untainted life, we have to become as innocent as a child again.
"Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it." -Proverbs 4:23
My friend, I would be happy to have little wit if I could have a heart as large as Winnie the Pooh. After all, righteousness is shaped by the inward self- the intent of the spirit. Wisdom is exponentially important, but it is in vain if it does not flow from a genuine nature.
"Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart." -Winnie the Pooh
How can we strive to be more like that "silly old bear", with a heart so big that it affects every aspect of our lives?
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