Aibileen's story began with those encouraging words that she spoke into a child's heart. Hers is a courageous story that began in Jackson, Mississippi...a place of little hope if you were born black.
In the early 90's I went with a friend on a road trip from Little Rock to surburban Jackson, Mississippi. My friend had been invited to speak at a Christian Women's Club meeting. The trip made such an impression on me that even my husband remembered the incident now twenty years later.
And as Mike and I drove home after seeing the movie The Help, he asked me again about the Jackson trip. Back then I had been broadsided because my friend and I were overnight guests in a Christian home. I was not expecting to see the maid treated as though she were invisible. Some roots go deep and unexamined.
That's why we need Scripture.
Chuck Colson said in his commentary about The Help that the movie reminds us how easy it is to get blinded to personal and societal sin. I agree. The movie calls the audience to consider how our lives square with Scripture...
I watched Skeeter's mom cave to peer pressure while miserably wishing she hadn't. She was living Romans 7.15: "for I do not understand my own actions. I do not practice or accomplish what I wish, but I do the very thing that I loathe." It was sad to see that the women turned their children over to others to raise. Then I wondered...if I had been financially able, would I have done the same thing? I cringed when Hilly refused the maid's request for $75, saying "as a Christian, you will thank me one day". Some pretty ungodly things get wrapped in Christ's name. Hilly (in the pink flowered dress, played by Ron Howard's real daughter) just NAILED her role as the mean girl on a power trip. I know I'm to love my enemies and pray for those who despitefully use me, but don't we ALL have an irregular person that we'd be tempted to send one of those chocolate pies? Minny's humor was just the right lightheartedness that this serious movie needed. And Missus Walters (Sissy Spacek) came in a close second. What a hoot!The movie told a story, but the intent was not to slam Jackson. I came away from the movie inspired and challenged and I hope the people of Jackson did, too. Jacksonians may have winced at their old ways, but I'm hoping they have reason to rejoice over progress. While the story was told within racial perimeters, the problems were not restricted to race. Deeper than Jackson's racism is the problem inside the human heart. Cecilia Foote (below on left) could preach that sermon.
After leaving the movie, I began to ask myself if I have ever been someone who caved to fit in? Yes. Skeeter stood up for righteousness and then her world imploded. Could I have had Skeeter's convictions at her age? I totally doubt it. Have I prayed for my enemies? Only sometimes. This "looking into the heart" is a messy undertaking and good movies help because we are visual learners.
We've all felt those emotions and that's why we identified with the movie. Jesus felt those wounds, too...and more. He understood Aibileen and Minny's deep degradation because He was despised and rejected by men. His counsel? "Do to others as you would have them do to you." Why is such a simple command so hard to accomplish? Heart issues are killers.
Some of the hearts on display in this movie had trusted Christ and some trusted their own perception of "right". One day all will bow before the Judge and He will accurately assess the intent of each heart.
And Aibileen's sweet words to the little girl about being kind, smart and important? Aibileen spoke life! The words were healing and affirming and redeeming...just like what the Lord would have said.
Still, those three words come with a caveat. The only way to be consistently kind is to have the Spirit of God empowering your life. And smart? Just thank God for whatever grey matter He has assigned to you. Then ask Him to show you how to turn that information to wisdom (seeing life as He sees it). Little children are our best examples of limited understanding speaking pure wisdom.
Then how can we know if we're important? The One who made the world and all that is in it volunteered His life to buy our ticket home. He wants to be with us forever and THAT'S the purest elevation of esteem. With that assurance, no matter what the world dishes up, the love of the Father and the hope of His coming kingdom...will pull us through. Just ask Aibileen and Minny. They would tell you the ground is level at the foot of the cross.
Susan,
ReplyDeleteYou are my favorite Blogger because you put into words what is in my head and on my heart that I can't translate on paper!
Please keep up the great job (ministry) you are doing!
Dear Susan,
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for putting into words what is on my mind and in my heart about the book and movie entitled, 'The Help.'
I grew up in the middle of that era in Arkansas and it was not a pretty time in our American history.
One of my parents was very racist and the other was the total opposite. My mother had compassion for all people, regardless of race. We had a lovely young Afro-American lady named, Vanilla, who would come to our home and iron clothes for us. One Christmas my Mom asked my brother and me if we would be willing to give up some of our Christmas money to help Vanilla and her family. We both agreed to her idea and gathered toys and groceries which we took to Vanilla's family one evening. Even as a very young child I was humbled by what I witnessed that night.
We were a low income family giving to an even lower income family and that night I saw my Mom through different eyes. This experience also set in my a heart seeds of gratefulness, thanksgiving and a deep appreciation for the life lessons Mom demonstrated for my brother and me, without saying a word.
She was living out Jesus for me before I ever knew Him.