Last week my wife and I saw the movie "The Pursuit of Happyness." Overall we enjoyed the movie. It was entertaining, and Will Smith and his son Jaden were wonderful together. I also liked how the character, Chris Gardner was determined to fulfill his dream, and worked hard to achieve it.
However, I do believe there are some flaws in his thinking.
Flaw #1- Chris Gardner struggles because he doesn't have much money to live on. As you watch, you feel sorry for his situation. But it is easy to forget that he was in this condition because of poor choices. He chose to buy and sell a bone scanner, thinking that he would make lots of money. The reality was that it was difficult to sell the scanners, and so he had little money to live on.
Flaw #2- Because of this, he put his child in a difficult place. Ultimately, this lack of vision and money caused his girlfriend (and the mother of his son) to leave. Now he was faced with the challenge of raising his son by himself. This also caused them to become homeless, which put them into some not-so-good living arrangements.
Flaw #3- His goal was all about money. Selling the bone scanners was about making money. Then he saw a man, who was a stock broker, with a fancy car. He decided he wanted to be a stock broker so that he could be rich and have a fancy car. But the truth is, money alone doesn't make you happy. There have been many people in life who are tremendously rich, but weren't happy. In Philippians 4:12, it says- "12I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want." The secret to being content is to have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ!!
Flaw #4- The point of our life is to follow the 2 great commands that Jesus gave us in Matthew 22:36-40, 36"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" 37Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' 40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." When we love God and love one another, then we will find our way to happiness. Or as Psalm 37:4 says: "Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart." When our desires are God's desires, then God blesses us abundantly, and we live as we were created to live. In this we find happiness!
If you choose to see the movie, I believe you will enjoy it. But don't get swept away into thinking that whatever goal you have will make you happy. Only God can do that. Let me know what you think. (pastorchrisloga@yahoo.com)
