The film The Mission tells the true story of Jesuit priests bringing the gospel to the native tribes deep in the jungles of South America. Early in the story, we see a slave trader named Rodrigo Mendoza (played by Robert de Niro) killing and capturing the Indian natives to sell as slaves. On his return from a slaving expedition, he kills his brother in a fit of jealous rage when he finds him involved with his mistress.
Rodrigo’s guilt over killing his brother is overwhelming, until he meets the Jesuit priest (played by Jeremy Irons) who convinces him he is not beyond redemption. And so, Rodrigo follows the Jesuits into the jungle, dragging behind him a sack filled with armor and swords symbolizing his life of violence.
Rodrigo eventually encounters the Indians he had formerly killed and captured as slaves. It’s a tremendously moving scene. Under the Priest’s influence, they have become Christians.
The Indians forgive their former enemy. Even more, they symbolically cut the rope which frees Rodrigo from dragging the sack of weapons behind him, which clatter down a hill.
The release of emotion in Rodrigo—newly freed from his burden of guilt—is utterly real. If the power of film offers us glimpses of our human condition, this scene portrays experiencing grace as well as anything I’ve ever encountered.
In response to grace, Rodrigo joins the mission and spends the rest of his life serving the Indians.
To watch the scene of Rodrigo’s redemption described above, click here. (It’s only 3 minutes.)
The only thing that gets people seriously following Jesus is gratitude.
No one can make anyone else feel grateful. No one can even make themselves feel grateful, any more than they can make themselves feel humble. Like humility, gratitude is the by-product of something else.
This “something else” is grace—the grace of being freely given what we know we don’t deserve. Rodrigo experienced grace. So have I. And I continue to receive God’s grace, in ways small and large, every day if I can only pay attention.
Guilt is like dry pine needles in our spiritual fireplace—it offers a quick flash of light and heat but then is gone. Gratitude, on the other hand, is like an oak log that burns slowly—its heat and light will last throughout the coldest night. It’s the warmth of gratitude that melts the self-pity, bitterness, anxiety and fear that keep us from following Jesus with our whole hearts.
I’ve learned that gratitude is especially the antidote to fear. For evangelicals who seem so fearful today, gratitude is an important first step. In the face of fear, it’s gratitude that keeps us seriously following Jesus.
Where fear immobilizes, gratitude empowers. Where fear sucks energy out of us, gratitude renews our strength.
Yes, “counting blessings” quickly becomes a cliché around Thanksgiving. But do not so quickly dismiss gratitude as the source of true power.
If you want your life to make a difference, know this: no amount of pep talks, self-help ideas, even shameless applications of guilt (especially self-imposed) will get us moving toward the people we want to be.
- I’m grateful for the opportunities being an American my has given me to learn, grow and make a difference for others.
- I’m grateful for the rich tapestry of cultures and peoples I’ve come to know in my journey through life.
- I’m grateful for the abundance of personal luxuries and material comforts I enjoy that the majority of the world’s people will never know.
- I’m grateful for my wife and family as my solid foundation in an unsteady world.
- I’m grateful for Jesus, the unshakeable Rock on whom I stand.
Gratitude has the power to unlock meaning and purpose in ways self-help or good intentions never can.
Happy Thanksgiving!
