When my granddaughter was three, the movie Frozen came out. The whole family was excited to take her to her first movie and see her reaction. We all went together (grandparents, aunts and uncles) so that no one would miss out on her joy. I even bought a set of Frozen figurines for her to open and play with after the movie.
She was duly impressed by the experience. She loved the opulence of the theater and the soft seats that folded in half if you weren’t careful.
When we gathered for lunch afterwards, I presented her with her gift of the little figures. We were all shocked when she opened them, shuddered, and said, “No, thank you, Nana.” Her mom tried to get her to touch them and play with them and she refused. She couldn’t articulate why she wouldn’t play with them.
For about a month we tried again every time she came over but she was adamant that she wanted nothing to do with them.
Finally, her mom brought them to her house and promised to try again. She gently took them out of the package and touched them herself. My granddaughter saw how pretty they all were and began lining them up on the table and then she handed the Hans figurine to her mom and said, “Not him!” Every time her mom tried to put him in the group, my granddaughter fiercely stated that he was not allowed to be a part of the play group. She even made her mom put him away where he could not be seen.
If you remember, Hans seemed in the movie to be a classic prince. Only towards the end do we find out shockingly that he has evil intentions. He was a deceiver and my little granddaughter did not like that at all. She wanted no part of him.
Sometime later, Tangled came out on DVD. I was thrilled again to share it with my granddaughter. I have always loved the story and I was a fan of some of the voice actors. But once again, my granddaughter was less that happy.
This time it was the witch/mother who upset her. Who was she really, the mother who pretended to be nice or the awful witch with evil intent in her heart? Again, the deception upset my little granddaughter and she refused to ever watch it again.
Years have passed and supposed children’s movies have become even more filled with upsetting things. Decades ago, we felt we could trust companies like Disney to put out sweet stories that kids would love. Looking back, I can see that these insidious moves were just the beginning, and isn’t that how Satan works? He creeps in silently, often unnoticed, until he gains a foothold.
I now have more beautiful grandchildren and a few weeks ago we sat down to watch Swapped. It was animated and the colors and characters caught our attention. All through the movie there was a goofy and kind fish who helped the main characters. Then, at the very end, he turned into an ugly fiery wolf, again with evil in his heart.
My sweet, sensitive grandson yelled out, “Why did they make this movie?!” “What is the point?!” He muttered under his breath for the rest of the scenes and clung to my arm. He slept next to his mom that night.
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?” Matthew 7:15-16
I revisit these experiences over and over in my mind. Where I might have glossed over these scenes, the innocence of children’s hearts saw the evil contained inside.
One of Satan’s names is “The Great Deceiver” and we have to be aware at all times of his attacks, especially if we’re raising children. In this corrupt world it is hard to stay alert when so many attacks are all around us. It took my sweet grandchildren to show me the subtle ways that even cartoon “family” movies aren’t safe anymore.
As Matthew 18:3-4 says: “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”
The Great Deceiver is described as a spiritual being who twists God’s truth, leads humanity into sin, and orchestrates widespread spiritual deception across the world.
There are many who think I am being too picky about these things. After all, these are just silly movies, right? But I think that if even young children can see the evil, I should be paying attention too. There are others who think that children should be anesthetized to the evils of this world so they can handle life better. I, for one, love that my sensitive grandkids don’t accept the muddying of the line between good and evil. Instead, they stand for truth and keep a hold on their faith.
“If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.” Matthew 18:6
It’s so sad that Satan targets even children in his quest for control. But he will stop at nothing to turn people away from the Lord. I am humbled by the things my grandchildren teach me. Seeing things through their eyes simplifies the difference between good and evil and allows me to see more clearly.
“But Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me. Don’t stop them, because the kingdom of heaven belongs to people who are like these children.'” Matthew 19:14
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