Refusal of the Call

       From ancient times, to today's summer blockbusters, stories have always followed a certain pattern. It's this pattern that makes a story different from a recipe or an essay. These story beats also, interestingly enough, parallel the life of Jesus. If one believes that God planned every moment in all lives from before the beginning of time, it's not a stretch to believe that rather than the life Jesus following the principles of Story, it is Story that reflects the journey of Jesus Christ.

Refusal of the Call

"My father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me..."

Matthew 26:39

       We know where our hero lives in his Ordinary World, and how he makes due with the life he has. We see an opportunity, a Call to Adventure, come her way. Sometimes (often in movie sequels) the hero simply accepts the call, saddles the horse, and hits the trail. But typically there's some reluctance to move. "Sure," Luke tells Obi Wan, "there's a princess to rescue. But I have to stay with my aunt and uncle." 

     
       Answering the Call means stepping outside the comfort zone. Answering the Call requires a major sacrifice. There should be a moment of hesitation to add weight to this important decision. What comes next might be dangerous, difficult, painful. Yet not without reward.

       Even Jesus showed reluctance. 

       The Refusal of the Call moment can really appear at any time in the story. In today's movies it usually appears early on, near the end of act one. But sometimes it comes later, after the hero has established a new Ordinary World. Think of Simba in The Lion King. His refusal didn't come until after he'd already left home for the jungle. In the jungle he'd grown up, made friends, and found a comfortable life eating bugs. It wasn't until he was told to go home and reclaim the kingdom that he resisted.

       Jesus had been on earth for around 30 years. He had built a following, developed close friendships, and had a mother to consider. Yet his life's mission was to die on the cross, to, in his own words, "give his life as a ransom for many." This was his moment to reclaim what had been taken away. And it would be dangerous, difficult, painful.
       Yet not without reward.

       Matthew's gospel tells us about Jesus's state of mind as he approached the moment of his calling: "My soul is very sorrowful, even to death." Jesus isn't James Bond, thoughtlessly throwing himself into battle. What has Bond ever sacrificed, really? Jesus was facing a painful and humiliating death. He was facing the moment that his own father would turn his back on him. And I've no doubt he was also considering the anguish that his mother and friends would face over the next three days. 

       "My father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will," Jesus prayed. And prayed. And prayed. And prayed. Three times, over the course of hours. This was the moment before the moment the entire Story had been leading up to since Adam and Eve sinned. Every step in his and an entire nation's history was designed to bring him to this place. And yet... and yet he hesitated.

       Why would God include this in Story? 

       Why is this necessary for the formula?

       Why would God put this moment in his son's story, and thus the fabric of Story? 

       I believe there are two reasons. One is that it adds weight to what comes next. In the movies where the hero doesn't hesitate but goes in boldly we usually notice the hero is pretty bland, a cardboard cutout of a character (sorry, Vin Diesel). Also, if it's not a problem for him to go, the stakes really can't be that high. Nothing good ever comes easily. If God in human form is asking for a Plan B, this must be pretty darn difficult. We as an audience don't always understand what we're asking our heros to do when we expect them to put themselves in danger. Their hesitation isn't a roadblock to our entertainment. It's them letting us know that this isn't going to be easy.

       The second reason is that God desires a relationship with us, and a relationship requires relatability, a common understanding of things. The adventure to which God calls us demands sacrifice, and sacrifice isn't easy. From Jesus' prayer, we see that God understands exactly what he's asking of us. Jesus knows sacrifice, and everything that comes beforehand.
       How are you refusing your call today? Refusal is easy to justify. "God," we say, "I can't do that: My family wouldn't understand/Those people have hurt me before/I've been planning for this my entire life."
       Accepting the call is never easy. And it shouldn't be. Yet Jesus showed us the only appropriate response:

"...Nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will."

Matthew 26:39