Friday, March 22, 2013

The Gospel According to Wreck-It Ralph

I thought Wreck-It Ralph was a great movie but as soon as it was over I realized that the gospel implications within the movie were uncanny!

The movie starts out with Ralph who after thirty years of work grows increasing dissatisfied with life. Even though he works just as hard, if not harder than the others in his game he is treated as a social outcast and is forced to live in a dump.

His dissatisfaction comes to a climax when on the night of his games thirtieth anniversary he realizes that a party is being thrown and he has not been invited.

He, no longer being satisfied to live his life on the outside looking in, "crashes" the party in the penthouse demanding to be included into festivities and affections of the residents only to be sent on a wild goose chase where Ralph truly believes that if he can only win a medal then he'd prove himself worthy of the group and be included. If he could only get a medal, then he'd be someone.

Attaining a medal becomes everything to Ralph. His whole life begins to revolve around this sole pursuit and he's willing to sacrifice anything to attain it...friendships, trust, health, his job...anything to get the medal. "That medal is my ticket to a better life," he says.

Ralph eventually gets the medal, but like any false savior it is bitter sweet. Ralph gets the medal only to  realize the high price that he's had to pay for it. Not only was the price high but the fruit of his labor was rotten. His expectations of what the medal would bring him were not met. He thought it would make him happy, he thought it would provide lasting contentment and satisfaction but he found that it only left him worse off than he was before.

Having hit rock bottom Ralph returns to Sugar Rush with a new objective.

Sidebar: The gospel is not just something that you choose to believe intellectually. The gospel is something that if you actually did believe it, it changes you. It changes you from the inside out. First the affections of your heart begin to grow tired of false/functional saviors, then it begins to yearn for a greater, true savior. The true savior eventually takes over all of your desires and He becomes your satisfaction. This process takes place of the life span of a Christian, not overnight. This is what we're about to see start taking place with Ralph.

Ralph having come to his senses at rock bottom (much like the prodigal son) returns again to Sugar Rush. He realizes the terrible mistakes he's made and realizes that he has no one to blame but himself. He sets about "righting" his wrongs by undergoing multiple tasks but the true moment of his heart change takes place when he sees Vanellope Von Schweetz life coming to an end and Turbo says, "It's game over for both of you." And Ralph replies, "No, just for me."

Ralph dies to himself, and in dying to himself become a completely different person. In losing His life He finds that His life is rescued. Rescued by the one person who holds all rule and authority in that domain. Rescued by the person who was royalty but took on rags, who had a riches but became poor. Because of his relationship with this unique individual, Ralph dies to himself only to experience that He is saved and invited into a whole new life.

The movie concludes with Ralph being thrown off a building, something he hated before. But things are different now. The way Ralph experiences life is different. Something that would be the one of the worst parts of his day he now enjoys because it brings him closer to the one he loves. He says, "Turns out I don't need a medal to tell me I'm a good guy. Cause if that little kid likes me, then how bad can I be."

Because he has the love of the one who saved him he knows that he has value, and this love has changed him through and through. He no longer considers just himself, but he builds the homeless shelter and invites them into his game. Only when Ralph is set free by the love of the one who saved him is he truly able to help others. Only when he's set free by this love is he able to know that he has value. Only then is he able to truly be who he was made to be.

When we go through life, no matter what the circumstance, we know that we have value....because no matter what happens or what others think, if our savior Jesus loves us.....then we know we're alright.

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Disclaimer: I'm not saying that the makers of the movie intended any of the above nor am I saying that the characters of the movie are a direct analogy. I am just using the movie to tell the gospel narrative.

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