The Roar of the Father

 "My daddy can beat up your daddy," was a common phrase in the school yard at recess time when many of us were growing up. For some reason it was important to show strength was on your side even if it didn't come directly from you. This boast implied that though I might not be able to handle you, my dad can handle you and he can even handle your dad, so watch out! Earthly fathers if they are doing their job correctly allow you to securely boast about them because they supply a safe home, play the role of protector and provider which creates that sense of confidence. It didn't matter that these claims were never played out, it mattered that you could boldly stand before any foe and utter those scary words to make them think twice about coming at you.

Shirer shares the Lion King analogy

Priscilla Shirer has a talk online that takes this relatable concept a step further drawing parallels to the movie The Lion King and our Heavenly Father. She recounts the scene where Simba, the small lion cub, is facing down the hyenas who are slowly taking steps toward him with malice in mind. The little cub lets out a small roar that sounds more like a kittens meow and sends the approaching hyenas into mad laughter over the weakness of it all. Simba takes a deeper breath and bellows out another roar thinking surely this one will be louder and more scary...but it was not.

They hyenas laughter dissipates as their confidence grows over having cornered the son of a great lion with no help for him in sight. The lion cub seeing that he only has time to try once more before becoming dinner reels back with an great inhale, then lurches forward releasing a roar so loud and so scary it surprises even him. Then Simba and the hyenas simultaneously realize that the roar came from daddy, not the little cub. In a matter of seconds the previously confident enemy was now running and cowering in fear. Shirer rightly correlates that we are much like Simba as God's children. By ourselves we are not much to look at and maybe even laughable to the enemy of God. But when we have Abba Father on our side and we stand in His might, they run away like the fearful cowards they truly are. Though a slight departure from a normal UpLift news story, the power of the message made a slight detour well worth the trip. We pray that it blesses you.

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