How Hallmark Reminded Me Of The Gospel
Have you ever been surprised by the end of a Hallmark movie? I’m guessing no. After all, there’s an expectation of what you’ll receive in exchange for two hours of your life…a sweet, feel good love story with a familiar and predictable plot.
One frequent storyline, recycled with new characters and different settings, is that of a successful city dweller who ends up in a small town only to find himself (or herself depending on the movie) falling in love and willing to trade his entire world for the other person.
I think one reason we keep tuning in, despite the lack of, well suspense, is because our hearts rejoice at the idea of a perfect, I’d give everything for you love, especially when the reality of non-scripted life sometimes holds more brokenness and hurt than happily ever after.
While Hallmark has certainly mastered this narrative, they didn’t originate it. Long before anyone crafted the first movie script, a perfect love story played out in real time and space when someone gave up everything to be with us and bring hope to our longing souls. His name is Jesus.
Philippians 2:6-8 tells us:
“Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.” (NLT)
This was a far greater move than big city to small town. Think about it. The King of Glory traded the riches and majesty of heaven for this broken and sin filled world. Not only that, he chose to start at the beginning of the human condition, as a baby, born not to a royal family and a palace, but to a humble family and a manger. (Luke 2:1-21)
As he grew, the all sufficient Son placed himself under the care of earthly parents and most importantly, under the submission of his Heavenly Father. (Luke 2:41-52; John 6:38) And, although he is the creator of beauty, the eternal one aged in an ordinary body with “no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him” (Isaiah 53:2).
For his friends, he chose the likes of fishermen and tax collectors, rather than the elite and popular, and he built his ministry around the outcasts and hurting. (Matthew 4:18-25; Matthew 9:9-13) Furthermore, he himself experienced hurt. Although he was still God, he didn’t use his rights as God to avoid suffering. No, he experienced all aspects of humanity. Hunger. Thirst. Tiredness. Pain. Temptation. Rejection. Loneliness. Sorrow. (Isaiah 53; Luke 4:1-13; John 4:6; John 11:35, Hebrews 4:15)
And ultimately death. On a cross. Like a criminal.
Why would anyone do this?
Jesus willingly humbled himself and made this trade because of his love and desire to be in relationship with us. His perfect life and sacrifice for our sins is the only way our sinful souls can enter a relationship with a Holy God and his resurrection and victory over sin, hell, and the grave make it possible for us to one day trade our world to be with him forever, if we believe and humbly follow him. (John 6:29; John 14:1-6; Luke 9:23)
It’s a story so wonderful, a love so extravagant, that only God himself could script. And the best part is, it’s 100% true.
So, the next time you get lost in a movie telling the story of someone giving up his or her entire world out of love for someone else, let it point you back to Jesus with gratitude toward the author of the greatest love story the world has ever known.
