Real Change

One of the requirements I once had for a class while in seminary class was to watch several movies and reflect theologically on each one. Now, these movies are not one’s that I would go see or pick up and rent at the video store. However, by the end of the movies, I found that I would watch them again and recommend them to others. This past week, I found myself watching one of those movies again. The movie is titled Ikiru.
This is a Japanese movie, with subtitles, made in 1952. It is about a government bureaucrat, Mr. Watanabe, who spends 30 years accomplishing nothing. One day he finds out that he has gastric cancer and begins seeking out how to live life. He never told anyone of his condition though. He would venture out and go to taverns and nightclubs but found nothing there. He began talking with a young woman who had worked for him at one time and found that she left her government job for a menial job in a factory making kids toys. When she showed him one of the toys that she makes, he finally realized that he could enjoy doing something and found out how to get the most out of life.
He went back to work with enthusiasm and began working to turn a mosquito infested neighborhood field into a park for children. He began working and doing things that were unheard of in government. He went to every department to make things happen, and would not give up, until the project came to its completion. The movie ends with all of those he worked for mourning his death. He went out to visit the park that he worked so hard for and died sitting in a swing.
As his fellow workers discussed his life and the changes in him they realized that he must of known of his illness. One man made the comment that “this goes to show us that life is short and we could die tomorrow.” Everyone decided that each of them would change their ways and begin working for the people trying to make a difference everyday. About a week later, the movie shows everyone back to work in their government jobs, back to the way it had always been.
When the movie was over, I found myself once again reflecting on the events that transpired. I realized that so many of us live our Christian lives in the same way. How many times have you got inspired from a church service or from the way someone in the church is living his or her life and vow to make a change? How many times has it taken a painful situation to make you change your ways? How long is it going to take you to go back to the way you were living and forget the reason you began to live again in the first place? These are questions that only you and I can answer ourselves.