“I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers” – Ephesians 1:16
My daughters love the animated movie, “The Tale of Despereaux.” This is a great movie based on the book of the same title by Kate DiCamillo. The book features a mouse, which becomes a hero of sorts, named Despereaux. A princess named Pea and a rat named Roscuro. These three character’s stories are brought together by soup.
This movie opens with the royal cook preparing a special soup for a dinner with the King and Queen. The staff is busily preparing this soup when the chef, who is referred to as a genius, dismisses everyone from the kitchen. It is then, through a little magic, that he is joined by another character, Boldo. Boldo is made up of a soup pot and vegetables. It is Boldo who helps the chef prepare his exciting dishes that are so beloved by the people.
My favorite line from this great movie is spoken just before Boldo and the Royal Chef finish their soup. The narrator reads, “It’s hard to be a genius all by yourself. In fact, sometimes it takes a little help.” No one else but the chef knew about Boldo. As far as everyone else was concerned, the chef was a virtuoso, and his success was all due to his own skills.
The reason I love this quote is because it recognizes a simple but profound truth for our lives. No matter how successful we may be, we did not get to where we are in life alone. No matter how much we know, or how much wisdom we possess, we did not come to possess it all by ourselves. We all have had people in our lives that have helped to make us who we are today. “It’s hard to be a genius alone.”
It takes others to grow in our faith. Our faith is not a solitary faith. When we listen to the wisdom of others, when we wrestle with the thoughts of others (those we agree with and those we disagree with) our own faith is strengthened. This is why it is important to take part in worship, Bible study, and other opportunities to help us grow in our faith. We must look for opportunities to connect with our family of faith. It is together that we grow in our love for God and our love for one another.
– Rev. Keith King, Pastor of Worship
