Training Dragons

 

Training Dragons

The next movie we'll be looking at is How to Train your Dragon. This movie is a must see, it is in my collection now to show to family and friends in the future. If you don't know the movie, this will not be a spoiler, but will give away some parts of the movie. I do apologize for this, but nonetheless it is an incredible movie. 

In the film, our hero is a boy named Hiccup. Hiccup lives in a town of vikings, where his father is the leader of the village. The vikings live a normal life all except for the dragons that constantly terrorize the village. As any movie would go though, Hiccup befriends a dragon and builds a relationship to not hate all dragons.

Now there are not any stories of dragons in the bible where people became best buds, but we will be in Judges 3 this week looking at a man named Ehud. Ehud and Hiccup had something in common, and that was the fact that they were different from the norm.

Our passage is in verses 3:12-30. I'll not be posting it on here, but if you would like to read and follow along, here is a link: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Judges+3&version=NKJV. 

In the book of Judges, the Israelites like to do this thing where they look to God for everything, turn away, get captured, pray for rescue, God sends a judge to free them, they look to God again, and the process repeats. Very similar to what most of us do on a day to day basis, but we struggle with sin rather than kingdoms enslaving us. This time around, the Israelites were under the control of King Eglon and the Moabites. 

Cue Ehud, who has the different characteristic of being left-handed. I instantly relate to this man, because I am left-handed. This was a blessing for Ehud though, as it allowed him to sheathe his sword on his opposite leg as most people would. This is the key factor in him being able to kill the king and free the nation. 

That is our big takeaway from the passage and the movie. Training dragons seems like an impossible task. Hiccup was never supposed to befriend this monstrosity, but because he was different he was able to. Ehud being left-handed was an oddity to society. In fact it might have even limited him at some of the work he was able to do, but God was able to use this different trait in order to save His nation. 

That is the same for you reading today. Have you ever looked at yourself and thought that there was something odd about yourself? Something just seemed "weird"? You have maybe asked yourself why you are the way you are? It doesn't seem normal or fair, as if God wanted you to be set apart. This is TOTALLY true! God wants to do something amazing and the only way He wants to accomplish that is with you. 

Are you ready for the crazy part of it? He has been shaping and preparing you for something like this since before you were born! There is a dragon out there for you to tame, and he has given you the hair color you have, the 6th toe you have, the extremely outgoing personality you have to achieve this goal. 

So don't be afraid nor ashamed of who you are. Your identity was decided by an amazing and all-knowing Creator. Hiccup and Ehud are two characters that society thought were strange, but yet accomplished mighty things. Be who God is shaping you into, and embrace His love. There's no other feeling like it my friends. 

Thanks for reading.