the one true king ...

i went to see lion king on the big screen tonight. i’ve been looking forward to this since i first heard about its re-release to theaters over 6 months ago. so naturally, that is what tonight’s post will be about. it was so much fun singing and dancing (quietly in my seat, of course) along with all the songs i remember. but i was particularly struck by the exchange between rafiki (the baboon) and simba when rafiki comes to find simba and bring him back home.

Simba: Creepy little monkey. Will you stop following me? Who are you?
Rafiki: The question is - Whooo... are you?
Simba: I thought I knew. Now I'm not so sure.
Rafiki: Well, I know who you are. Shh. Come here. It's a secret.
Asante sana! Squash banana! We we nugu! Mi mi apana!
Simba: Enough already. what's that supposed to mean, anyway?
Rafiki: It means you are a baboon - and I'm not.
Simba: I think... you're a little confused.
Rafiki: Wrong. I'm not the one who's confused; you don't even know who you are. 

Simba: Oh, and I suppose you know?
Rafiki: Sure do; you're Mufasa's boy. ... Bye!
Simba: Hey, wait! You knew my father?
Rafiki: Correction-- I know your father.
Simba: I hate to tell you this, but... he died. A long time ago.
Rafiki: Nope. Wrong again! Ha ha hah! He's alive! And I'll show him to you. You follow old Rafiki, he knows the way. Come on! {Rafiki motions to Simba near some reeds. He parts the reeds and points past them with his staff.}

Rafiki: Look down there.

{Simba quietly and carefully works his way out. He looks over the edge and sees his reflection in a pool of water.}

Simba: That's not my father. That's just my reflection.

Rafiki: Noo. Look harder.
{Rafiki motions over the pool. Ripples form, distorting Simba's reflection; they resolve into Mufasa's face.} You see, he lives in you.

{Simba is awestruck. The wind picks up. In the air the huge image of Mufasa is forming from the clouds.}

Mufasa: {Quietly at first} Simba . . .

Simba: Father?

Mufasa: Simba, you have forgotten me.

Simba: No. How could I?

Mufasa: You have forgotten who you are, and so have forgotten me. Look inside yourself, Simba. You are more than what you have become. 

Simba: How can I go back? I'm not who I used to be.

Mufasa: Remember who you are. You are my son, and the one true king.


how quickly and easily we forget who we are. we spend so much time and energy running away from our past, and the distorted image it gives us of ourselves, that who we’ve become is only a shadow of our true identities. sometimes, we need a little help remembering. but if you are in Christ, all it takes is a good, hard look at your reflection. at first, all you can see is yourself ... and being well-acquainted with yourself, that’s not a pretty picture. but if you look (and listen) very carefully, the image reflected will be less you, and more the One who lives inside of you.

when we forget who we are, it means we are forgetting God. that’s a pretty weighty accusation. we’re saying that we don’t believe what He says, and therefore who He is. or sometimes we can’t stand to really look and listen because we are ashamed of our pasts and don’t think we are living up to our potential. but as rafiki pointed out later, our past doesn’t matter because it’s behind us. it may still hurt, “but you can either run from it, or... learn from it.”

genesis 1:27 tells us that “God created human beings in his own image. in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” and not only that, but we “are a chosen people. you are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. as a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for He called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.” (1 peter 2:9)

if we remember who we are - God’s children and royalty - then we can step into our destinies. He has called us out of the darkness of our pasts and asked us to bring His goodness to those in a dying land ... just like simba brought life back to pride rock!