‘Tonight, we’ll hear the story of Crispy Bear. A long time ago, this little bear was alive. She was alive, because she listened to her father, so she was happy. [Eep sighs] But Crispy had one terrible problem, she was filled with… curiosity! [everyone gasps] Yes! And one day, she saw something new and died!’
In the film the Croods, Grug tells his family this story each night as they hide in their cave. His message to them is to be afraid, that everything is dangerous and that new is bad.
Do you agree with Grug? Is everything dangerous? Do you stay away from people as much as possible because you expect bad things to happen?
Grug’s daughter Eep has an alternative life philosophy. She gets out of the cave when she can and is seeking the light. In one scene early in the film, she climbs a cliff just to feel the light on her face and we see the delight on her face.
Her father is afraid of what he might lose in the unknown but Eep is discouraged at the thought of what she is missing by avoiding the unknown.
Are you more like Grug or Eep?
It’s easy to live our lives in fear, expecting the worst when things have gone wrong. When we have had bad experiences it is inevitable that they will colour and distort our view on life unless we can face up to and deal with them. When we are in pain, it feels much easier to hide in the darkness than to face up to reality.
God longs for us to step out of darkness and into the light. God doesn’t want us to live in fear and despair, he wants us to be full of his peace and hope .
In Psalm 40, David describes how God rescued him.
1 I waited patiently for the Lord to help me,
and he turned to me and heard my cry.
2 He lifted me out of the pit of despair,
out of the mud and the mire.
He set my feet on solid ground
and steadied me as I walked along.
3 He has given me a new song to sing,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see what he has done and be amazed.
They will put their trust in the Lord.
David was in a pit of despair but God lifted him out and gave him security. His misery had been replaced by praise for God and he was confident that when people saw the change in him that they would trust God.
If you are despairing today, I would encourage you to call on God and let him lead you out onwards and forwards.
Honest about my faith 