You may have heard it said that it is better to have “treasures in heaven” than it is to have piles of loot here on Earth. You may have even criticized some for hoarding things while you could be hoarding experiences and memories. Yet, each and every one of us in a way wants to store up for ourselves what we believe is valuable.
It will come as no surprise to you, my faithful readers, that I have had a lifelong love for movies. While I have currently between 100-200 DVDs and Blu-rays, I also had a sizable VHS collection in my younger years, the majority of which were Disney movies.
I loved all Disney movies. I knew all the characters and could sing all the songs. In one of the early family pictures my family took together, you can see me holding a VHS tape of The Jungle Book in my hand. I was told later I did not want to let it go. For me, it served the purpose of a favorite stuffed animal.
Yet, there is another reason why I remember that VHS tape of The Jungle Book and it wasn’t just because I loved it. It was because someone we knew borrowed it and NEVER returned it.
I was upset of course. I searched the bottom of our entertainment center time and time again to try and find it. After what felt like years, we finally figured out who borrowed it. Yet, by then, I was older. Disney movies weren’t as cool and then DVDs started.
Three years ago, when the remake of The Jungle Book came out, I enjoyed it. Yet, even though I had not seen the original in years, ever since I lost my VHS copy, I still could remember it and as I left the theater, I remember feeling the original was better than the remake.
You may think it’s silly and pointless to be talking about my grief over losing a favorite movie. Yet, the truth is we all grieve over significant and pointless things all the time. We all experience pain and we all experience loss.
Yesterday, the Western world was rocked with the news of Disney +, a new streaming service that has the majority of everything the Disney company has ever produced, including the original animated version of The Jungle Book.
For me, and countless others, where once we had to carry around boxes of Disney VHS tapes and DVDs, we will now be able to stream them anywhere, even from our smartphones. The excitement and nostalgia for Disney + is so massive, that yesterday at its launch, it temporarily crashed due to the massive amount of new subscribers streaming Disney content.
As the world is enthralled with Disney + and the upcoming Frozen and Star Wars sequels, as believers we have something greater to look forward to.
One day, Jesus Christ, the King of Kings, will return to this Earth. He will make a new Heaven and a new Earth. He will give us new bodies, wipe away our tears, free us from sin once and for all.
And though we won’t be able to take the stuff we’ve hoarded on Earth, the memories and experiences, the moment we see His face we will receive something far better. He will give us “beauty for ashes, gladness for mourning, peace for despair.”
In conclusion, I have to say that will be far better than any Disney movie.
🙂
Jacob McGowen
The Adventures of A Warrior 