How did you first perceive the Touhy family?
What did you first think of the teachers?
In the movie you watch a change take place in Leigh Anne and Collins as much as in Michael. What was taking place?
Scripture calls followers of Christ to look out for the orphans. When Leigh Anne and Sean took in Michael did you think they were following Christ or crazy?
The scene with Leigh Anne and Michael's biological mother shows an incredible difference in two lives. What differences creates this gap?
Michael's biological mother calls Leigh Anne "a good Christian woman". What makes a good Christian?
We all can't take a child into our homes. However, we are all called to action, in what way do you sense God is calling you to action?
It is awesome how love changes everyone. When you try to help another person, show love to another person, offer grace to another person, you end up experiencing transformation yourself, too. Isn't God cool?
ReplyDeleteMy first impressions of the Touhys was that they were career/success-driven people. They want to be the best, have the best, etc.
ReplyDeleteThe majority of teachers just didn't feel a kid like Big Mike was worth the effort. They were quick to judge him as being stupid or lazy. There was the one teacher who decided to put in the extra time to figure Michael out.
Michael changed the Touhys as much as they changed him. The Touhys were very brave to reach out to Michael. I probably would have said they were crazy, if they had been friends of mine. But they took the chance and both side were changed. The Touhys learned that everyone has worth and that opening their hearts could affect everyone.
The gap between Leigh Ann and Michael's mother because of circumstances, mainly. Michael's mother did not grow up knowing anything different. She was not given the opportunities that Leigh Ann probably had. She had probably always lived in the Hurt neighborhood. Economics plays a huge part in the gap also.
We are not all called to take in orphans nor are we all called to preach. We are called according to our abilities. As long as we follow that calling, we are being the people God wants us to be.
I really liked this movie. I think it had a lot of really good points.
-The Touhy family seemed pretty utterly American to me, in the sense of they were caught up in their world. I think most of us tend to do that from time to time, no matter what our careers are or how much money we have. But at the same time, they also seemed to me to be absorbed with their kids - I don't think this was a family that existed for their posessions. There is a difference between having stuff and depending on it. I got the feeling that the Touhys would have been the same people whether or not their family had a high income. I'm just not sure they knew that...
ReplyDelete-As for the teachers... well, I'm not sure I'd hire them for my CHRISTIAN school... just sayin. I guess it struck me as odd that they all acted like they'd never had to deal with someone who wasn't a "priveleged learner" before. It seemed like they were awful quick to marginalize anyone else. But maybe I would have acted the same way. I don't know.
-It looked to me like Leigh Ann and Collins both started to experience a shift in identity. Their attitudes began to change when they realized that being "momma" and "sis" set them apart far more than being "charitable person" and "temporary victim." This is why 'support a good cause' and 'love your neighbor' are two different paradigms. The change we saw in the Touhys is the kind of change that *should* set the church apart from secular humanitarian organizations. Doesn't mean we all can't work together, but as disciples of Jesus, we always have an opportunity to dig below the surface.
-It's difficult for me to make a distinction between "following Christ" and "crazy."
-This is a hard question. I think it would be impossible to narrow it down to any one thing. If I had to, I'm with Anonymous... circumstances? Economics? Opportunities? Leigh Ann's view was clear - to her, the people in Hurt seemed trapped. She even asked Michael "how did you ever get out?" Like anyone else, I can see that my life is driven by choices, but it's so easy to push people aside by saying "they're just not choosing right." I think, by the end of the film, Leigh Ann started to realize that choice is a loaded word... other people had chosen for Michael all of his life. Was it the same for Michael's mother?
-Another hard question. When Jesus was called good, he turned it into another question... "why do you call me good, when only God the Father is good?" So, perhaps nothing we do makes us a good Christian. I don't think that's what Leigh Ann was trying to be, anyways. I think she was just loving people and unwittingly reflecting God in the process. We should consider that what Michael's mom called good wasn't Leann at all. :-)
Good movie. Good questions!
--Distinction between "following Christ" and "crazy"...none.....for the ways of Christ are most always opposite of the ways of the world and sooo mostly they sound/look "crazy"
ReplyDelete--Sad to think Christian teachers or Christians at all would judge someone by surface appearance or circumstance.....Thank God He doesn't judge US like that