“A lot of people are waiting for Martin Luther King or Mahatma Gandhi to come back -- but they are gone. We are it. It is up to us. It is up to you.” ~Marian Wright Edelman
This movie is a powerfully gripping story of how a group of individuals, though different looking on the outside, found they were not so different on the inside. Most had known the same situations—lost a friend (or more than one), been shot at or beaten, abandoned by their parents, or dealt with drugs, alcohol, and a whole lot more. Most of us may never be able to relate to their particular situations, but know this—we have all been broken, abused, hurt, or felt shame for things we have done, no matter how small.
There is an utterly inspirational movie called "Freedom Writers", which is a true story about a young, white, female teacher who is assigned to a diverse group of freshman students. Her students, and most of those at the school, were members of various racial gangs—gangs where they often killed each other in order to protect "their own". Many of the other teachers at the school more or less gave up on these kids, knowing that most would probably not even reach their graduation before either just dropping out or being killed themselves. But not new teacher Erin Gruwell; she felt she could help them somehow.
This movie is a powerfully gripping story of how a group of individuals, though different looking on the outside, found they were not so different on the inside. Most had known the same situations—lost a friend (or more than one), been shot at or beaten, abandoned by their parents, or dealt with drugs, alcohol, and a whole lot more. Most of us may never be able to relate to their particular situations, but know this—we have all been broken, abused, hurt, or felt shame for things we have done, no matter how small.
As a young girl, I used to think that only certain people had testimonies—people who had been once hooked on drugs, alcohol, porn, or other "sinful" things, and which eventually come to know God as their Savior. I didn't think I had anything to share regarding things I had overcome like so many I listened to, because mine wasn't "extreme" enough. But our "sinful" things don't have to be headliners; there isn't a person who could look me in the eyes and swear they have never done anything that they are ashamed of. No one is perfect, which unfortunately means we are ALL guilty of something, however small we think it. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water. James 3:9-12
In watching "Freedom Writers", I realized something about myself. Here I was, writing Daily Breads and feeling untouched by all the "bad" things of this world, when deep down inside, I had plenty of problems of my own. What right do we have to evaluate others, when we are just as much at fault if not more so? "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye. Matthew 7: 3-5
But what is more hypocritical is actually living the lie—you see, admitting our problems isn't enough. Though it takes a lot of effort (trust me, I know) to even admit we have them in the first place, what is even harder, is actually doing something about them. So I was living a lie, and I hated myself for it. I was lost, and I didn't even know it.
Watching what the kids in Mrs. Gruwell's class were overcoming just to be well, free, made me realize I too was fighting a war for my own freedom. And I would have to die to myself in order to be free from it. I was going to have to give my problems up to God in order to be free. I cried over that movie, not only because it was beautiful to see those kids lay down all their secrets and fears and differences, but because I identified with them on a deep and emotional level. I had a wakeup call.
I heard a speaker once who told a story about a time when he thought he might die, and the things he began to think about. For example, he thought about his wife, his kids, his family, God, faith, etc. He didn't, he said, think about the man who cut him off on his way to the hospital earlier, or the woman who shouted at him for no reason the week before. No, he was thinking about the more important things in his life; the things that really mattered to him.
Lastly he said this: "Why don't we live EVERY moment as though we could die the next second? Why do we not think constantly about the things that REALLY matter?" ~ Corey Ciocchetti
The kids in Mrs. Gruwell's class were shown love by someone they hated just because she was a different color than they. They had preconceived notions about her because they figured all who looked like her must be the same (information based on cultural stereotypes and paradigms). Instead however, they were shown they meant something and that they could BE someone. Sound familiar? Cause I know a God who does that. And keeps doing it, even though many of us hate Him just because we think He's not us. When actually, just like we are all connected, so is He in all of us. Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. Ephesians 4:25 But we have to let Him in first. We have to act. Not just speak, but do.
What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. James 2: 14-17
We don't have to go out and make grand testimonies like Mrs. G to show we are "good Christians". By simply changing your own heart you make a difference in this world. By letting go of all you fear and giving it to God—you change a life. Because when God truly changes you, you feel it deep inside. You feel a burden lifted from your shoulders. You feel free. And the new you affects the world in ways you probably never even imagined. To be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:23-24
For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. Romans 6:6-8
Most of us wouldn't know about the world the kids of the "Freedom Writers" knew. Watching that movie made me realize how much I took for granted. I have a great life. And yet I live the poorest of them all, by not letting Him in; by not living a life of Love. We never seem to know what we've lost till it's gone. And that's when God and everything we love suddenly matters to us—when it's too late. "It is at the end of a man’s life when he realizes how important his decisions were at the beginning.” ~Unknown
Maybe we should live as Kris Allen sings, "Gotta live like we're dying".
When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the "sinners" and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: "Why does he eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?" On hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." Mark 2:16-17
For me, true inspiration is what you do with that inspiration.*
Tears are falling,
Whitney
To learn more about the real Freedom Writers visit:
To learn more about Corey Ciocchetti, visit: http://www.coreyspeaks.com/
