50 Foot Dalmatians and Memorizing Scripture

A disclaimer.  I am at Disney world and I know that it is the worst kind of fraud; it is a fake that seeks to deceive.  It purposes heaven on earth, man is master of his own destiny, man can, by his own devises, create nirvana here on earth.  Man cannot!  I sat in the maddening throng and can feel the physical pain of the burden of souls searching desperately for meaning in a fantasy made of cast fiberglass and bright paint.  So there is my disclaimer.  I am not deceived but only finding meaning in where I am.

It is like heaven here.  I sat on a bench and watched the throngs stroll by, every race and tongue, every size and shape, the pretty ones and the not so pretty, tall, short, thin, fat, old, brand new and I think to myself that this is how heaven will be, all of us together, all of us getting along. 

At night they have movie highlights that they show on the side of Magic Kingdom Castle.  I was watching it last night and thought how much this will be like heaven.  At night God will show movies on the side of His Castle, movies like “How I Thought Up Trees.”  They will all be blockbusters and instead of ending in fireworks they will end with a tour of a new galaxy.

Disney is like heaven in that they treat everyone as a princess and a prince waits.  It is the perfect story to sell children.  Children are special here and in every way from hotel shampoo with Mickey ear tops to 50 foot tall Dalmatians outside your room Disney is determined to make children feel special.  The church could learn a lot from Disney.  We give children a list of rules to follow, don’ts and cants that they must obey, memorization of lengthy passages they don’t understand and attendance to long lectures.  Is it any wonder that by the time there 18 they just check out to find their own heaven?  The church should begin children on this truth.  Someday you are going to belong to the greatest King and all that He has will be yours, every leaf, lake, star and galaxy will be yours and you will be the King’s Prince.  That is the truth so why not celebrate it.  There is time enough for learning scripture, sacrifice and suffering but to begin with we may want to let them play with 100 Dalmatians instead of memorizing 100 verses because even all the galaxies or 100 Dalmatians can’t compare to what He has in store for us at His Magic Kingdom.

Everyone’s purpose at Disney World is to be nice.  When we walk up to our lodge everyone says, “Welcome Home” and when you get coffee they say “Good morning.”  When you ask a question they smile and respond and when you need something they say “Yes.”  From the time I arrived I have been made to feel special.  What is the most special?  Everyone seems to mean it.  To believe that someone thinks you’re special is truly Fantasyland.  You can learn a lot from a mouse.  I am learning, not how to be a better Mouseketeer but, how to be a better Christian.   

The fantasy outside my window