"The history of a man's relationship with God is the story of how God calls him out, takes him on a journey and gives him his true name."
Probably my second favorite movie, after Gladiator, is one that I actually only watched the first time because I was bored and it was laying around the house. Secondhand Lions is one of those awesome movies that I feel has been lost in the shuffle. Michael Cain and Robert DuVall play two old brothers, Garth and Hub, who live together in Texas during the 1960's. They spend their days gardening and fishing, with shotguns, and their evenings harmlessly shooting at traveling salesmen.
Then one day at the beginning of the summer of 1962 their niece shows up with her son, Walter, and leaves him there. At first the uncles don't want him around, but over time their attitude changes and they begin to really care for Walter. Early during the movie Michael Cain, Garth, begins to tell Walter the story of the brothers before they ended up in Texas, and we come to find out that these two men have lived quite a life, traveling, fighting wars, and rescuing princesses.
There is one scene where the uncles and Walter are having lunch and four Greasers (remember it's the '60's) come in and start causing trouble. Robert DuVall, Hub, confronts them, gives a similar speech to the one Maximus gives, and then proceeds to fight all four of them and wins. Walter is amazed, he's never seen anything like this before, it's the first time He's ever seen a real man. And now comes my one complaint about the movie.
For some reason the makers of the film decided to go with a shorter version of this scene. To see it you'll have to watch the deleted scenes. After the fight they are back at the house with the greasers, who they have invited for dinner, and before they leave Hub gives them his "What every boy needs to know about being a man" speech. After he finishes he sits down on the porch for a moment and then announces he's going to bed. He says to Walter, "Good night kid." And Walter replies very timidly in the squeaky voice of a young teenage boy,"Walter" he clears his throat and says again more confidently, "It's Walter." Hub replies, "Walter?... It doesn't seem manly enough... How about I call you Walt?" Walter get's a delighted smile on his face and eagerly says, "Ok." And the conversations ends with Hub walking into the house saying, "Good night Walt" as Walter is left smiling sitting with Garth on the porch.
He now has a name, an identity, and his journey into manhood can continue as these two men, who Walter has seen as men, initiate and guide him. They have given him a name, and that name has given him an identity and confidence. Later when his mother, an irresponsible woman, shows up at the uncle's house with her new boy friend, Stan, a poser of a man, and he says, "I've heard a lot about you Walter." Walter says, "Walt, my name's Walt." (this is also in the deleted scenes section). He has a name, that no one will ever take away from him.
We all need someone like Garth and Hub in our lives. We need men who know they are men to help us become men. Men like them give us a name and an identity. They initiate us and answers the questions we've got. But men can only do so much. "Even if your father did his job, he can only take you partway. There comes a time when you have to leave all that is familiar and go on into the unknown with God." "God created us for a unique place in his story and he is committed to bring us back to the original design... Initiation involves a journey and a series of tests, through which we discover our real name and our true place in the story."
Philippians 1.6 says, "For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." God created you to be a Man. You have what it takes to become one, and God will finish the work to mold you into the Man of God He created you to be.
"Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen." Ephesians 3.20-21
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
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