Tin Man, Part II, Guest Blog by Pastor Aaron Tolson

Tin Man, Part II

Guest Blog by Pastor Aaron Tolson[1]

My wife and I (Aaron Tolson) watched the recent mini-series Tin Man on the Sci-Fi channel over the past couple of nights. I’m not much for sci-fi movies, but I did enjoy the humorous connections between The Wizard of Oz and this version which takes place several generations later…

As with any show, film, or movie, I tend to watch with spiritual-eyes to see what truth is being communicated or happens to lay hidden in the overall story. Someone wise once told me that “every great story has the true story in it.” Here are just a couple of the observations I took away from watching this particular series.

1. Strength Together: So much of the movie kept emphasizing this point. From sisters holding hands and able to face anything, to the unlikely band of misfit heroes who constantly came to each others’ rescue. The divide and conquer military tactic has been around since the beginning of time. The best defense: building strong relationships that will not be broken. Relationships are so important—whether holding tightly to the Hand of God or holding tightly to a spiritual friend.

2. Parental Calling: DG’s (Dorothy) “parents” loved her because they were programmed to do so—to teach her, guide her, and speak truth to her—knowing that one day it would benefit her at just the right time. While we are NOT robots, with the Holy Spirit dwelling inside us we have the ability to love our children in this way and God desires us to do so. Working with teens and their parents, I am too aware of the many excuses parents have for staying out of their children’s lives and how many teens feel a lack of love from their parents. Parents don’t have to be perfect, nor do they need to think that their kid has to “get it” right away. Instead, parents speak truth with the hope that God will bring it to mind exactly when He needs to.

3. Understanding the Heart of God: “If you don't have heart, you don’t have anything” (Tim Man). I would re-word it. “If you don’t have God’s heart, you don’t have anything.” Understanding the heart of God and keeping His perspective central is the key to dealing with the ups-and-downs of life. Living out of our flesh-patterns is easy, but making the choice to seek God’s heart and respond to our circumstances in tune with His heartbeat is powerful! Without that, what do we have differently than anyone else in the world?

4. Our Secret Weapon—Repentance and Forgiveness: I wish I would have counted the number of times some character said “I’m sorry” and other characters offered forgiveness, either verbally or in action, and how each time that response contributed to the momentum of the Light. Contrast that with Azkadellia (the Wicked Witch) who never forgave. Ultimately victory came through DG apologizing to her own sister for the hurt she had caused and risking rejection, failure, and even death to reach back out to her sister. This took DG seeing past the evil appearance and looking to the “good heart” inside. There is so much wrapped up in that 30-second interchange...

5. Truth is Truth: No matter the opinions, perspectives, thoughts, feelings, and accusations, Truth in this movie never changed. The Tin Man had the ability to feel deeply... Raw (the cowardly lion) had the ability to stand strong... Glitch (the Scarecrow) had the ability to think wisely... Tutor (Toto) had the ability to choose rightly... DG had power and authority (even though she didn’t realize it). The Truth was that DG’s mom and dad loved her deeply. The Truth was that there was more going on than DG could understand.

6. The Power of His Presence: This is actually the title of devotionals by Ray Stedman, but it fits perfectly in this story... DG had the power of the Light within her. Once that tidbit of information had been revealed, there were so many times my wife and I hollered at her (via the TV), “Why don’t you use your power!” Hmmm... and why don’t we?! We have the greatest Light of all within us, so why then do we stumble around life feeling worried, confused, and defeated? Why do we submit to the powers of the darkness? Why? Is it that we don’t really know what we possess? Is it that we too often just forget? Or could it be that we just don’t believe it? Christ in you – the hope of glory! (Colossians 1:27)

7. Used for Good or Evil: The whole plot of this mini-series is based on who will get the green emerald and how it will be used. Just like anything else in life, objects are neither good nor evil in and of themselves. It comes down to the choices we make in how we use them. This applies to the Internet, MySpace, Facebook, movies, TV, music, texting on cell phones, social activities, churches, athletics, relationships, clothing, everything! We can choose to use them for evil or for good. We confuse seekers, frustrate believers, and totally miss the point when we make “things” the point. Listening to Father’s voice and conforming my will to His in each situation IS the point!

[1]Aaron Tolson, Youth Pastor, ODBC Student Ministry, www.myspace.com/aarontolson, www.odbclife.org, aaron.tolson@odbclife.org

Tin Man and Evangelical Christianity

Tin Man and Evangelical Christianity

The Sci-Fi channel recently aired a six-hour mini-series, Tin Man, updating The Wizard of Oz. This was not your Auntie Em’s yellow brick road!

In the original movie version, no one could confuse the good guys (and girls) with the bad guys (and girls). Evil was evil and good was good.

In Tin Man, such was not the case. The good guys and girls were tortured souls with glaring weaknesses. Even the wonderful Dorothy (DG in this version) ended up being part of the cause of fifteen years of suffering due to her failure to heed her parents, her over-adventurous spirit, her paralyzing fear, and her abandonment of her sister.

Azkadellia, aka, the Wicked Witch of the West, seemed thoroughly, completely, unredeemable evil. Until . . . the end. In the end we learn that she, too, was a tortured soul, with a once-good heart, who longed to be free.

Of course, I’m not endorsing everything about Tin Man. My point in this blog is not to critique every un-Christian aspect.

Rather, I’m making a case for Tin Man, in one way, emulating the way the Bible depicts human beings—even its lead characters. Other than the God-man, our Lord Jesus Christ, every other man and woman in the Bible is flawed. Horribly flawed.

Think David. A man after God’s own heart. Yes, David the murderer, adulterer, and liar. The list of imperfect Bible characters continues endlessly.

Unfortunately, that’s not how modern Christians tend to read the Bible. Nor is it how modern Christians tend to write novels or enjoy movies. Far too many so-called Christian novels, and all-too many movies endorsed by Christian leaders, are drivel. Their characters are flat, one-dimensional. Picture perfect.

And there’s the rub. Other than Christ, no character is a picture of perfection.

And here’s the point. Our Pollyanna perspective on life leads us toward an arrogant, judgmental, unforgiving spirit toward one another, toward unbelievers, and even toward our own selves.

And frankly, it leads most of us to live boring, flat, one-dimensional lives, while often hiding the multi-dimensions competing every second in our souls.

Honestly, I prefer DG to Dorothy. I prefer Azkadellia to the Wicked Witch. At least they are fully human and fully struggling to be more fully human.

Until heaven, isn’t that the honest truth about all of us?