Lessons From Chicken Little
The movie "Chicken Little" is one of my favorites. I love the whole father/son relationship thing that's really the deeper meaning running throughout the story. If you have not seen it, there is a scene where Chicken Little has just scored in baseball. He's so pumped that he sings that song, "We are the Champions", but instead of saying "we", he changes it to "I." He is celebrating his personal victory. We should celebrate those victories, and give praise back to God. When I packed 24 lunches for the week yesterday, I sang the same song!
I heard someone last week speak about championing. Hard to say, and for some of us, hard to do. This concept is all about being in the background, putting someone else first, seeing their gifts and dreams, and then giving of yourself to help see their dream become a reality.
Championing is beautiful. To me, it is a true picture of the love of Jesus. Right now, we are doing that for one of our adopted children. He is a super strong little guy. Not little, actually. Ninety pounds when you're eight years old makes you a big kid. We are coming along side of him to make wrestling a reality in his life. We are giving money, encouragement, and our time to help him experience a dream.
What does championing look like outside of parenting, in the adult world? Around us are people with God-given dreams. As we see them dream, we can ask God how we can support, encourage, and fuel their dreams. Not for recognition, appreciation, or personal gain. As we work in the background, serving our friend, we are serving Christ. We are championing another person with a God-size dream. Crazy joy awaits us when we watch it all come together!
What does championing look like for you? Keep your eyes and heart open to what God is doing in the lives of other people. He can use your gifts to see their dreams through. There is joy in the background.
In the movie, Chicken Little's friends, and eventually his father, come together to support him to a seemingly impossible task. It actually is a great picture of championing as each character uses their own gifts to lift up their friend. As they do, they discover new strengths and truths within themselves. Someone in animation got it right.