Seen the movie, Pinocchio? Or you've probably heard of a puppet whose nose grows longer anytime he lies.
Yeees that one.
I watched the movie last year for some reason. As someone who grew up watching animations, it's interesting I hadn't seen this one until then. But watching this as an adult was an experience I wouldn't forget in a hurry. I'll give solid 10/10, you should watch it. If you've seen it already, it would be nice if you could watch it again from the perspective you'll be reading about today
The mystery of our relationship with God is so scared that comparing it with a human animation may seem sacrilegious but I believe that sometimes God uses things we consider unworthy to teach us lessons of eternal value. So forget the magic and the blue fairy part for a second and let's talk about Pinocchio.
We would not talk about his infamous trait (nose lengthening as he lies) bit on his life in general.
Pinocchio is a wooden puppet made by Geppetto, a wood carver. One day, Geppetto makes a wish that eventually makes the blue fairy bring Pinocchio to life. So he's a wooden toy that can behave like a human now. Then, there's this cricket (Jiminy Cricket) who stumbles into shop and becomes the only voice of reason in Pinocchio's life
Do you follow?
Lemme pause here and make some parallels.
Pinocchio reminds me of our human race and Geppetto a fallen, flawed and unequivalent type of our Creator and Jiminy during his good times parallels the Holy Spirit.
Let's continue,
The blue fairy tells Pinocchio that he can become a real boy if he follows "the narrow path". Does that sound familiar?
But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.- Matthew 7:14
As a good father, Geppetto puts Pin boy in school. Pin meets some bad wolves on the way and decides to follow them despite all the attempts by Jiminy-whom the fairy had appointed to be his conscience - to dissuade him.
Pin and his friends are "trafficked" to Pleasure island where they can do whatever they want. Underlying this life of freedom is a life of slavery unbeknownst to them. The more they indulge, they start changing to donkeys.
Let's pause again.
Doesn't that sound like what the devil does? I find the name of the island fascinating because it is a real indicator of what it has to offer. A life of pleasure which contradicts the life of self denial and obedience we are called to live as christians. A life that looks limitless on the outside but keep us bound from the inside.
God brings us into this world to live for Him, to be "good boys" like Geppetto wanted Pin to be. But the devil sells us a lie and trafficks us into a life of pleasure and debauchery. Sometimes despite all the promptings and warning from the Holy Spirit and from the Word like Jiminy gave Pinocchio we still make the choice of following the devil.
We get so deep in sin and then realise we've been sold a lie. This is not "it".
It was hard to determine whether Pin was just naive and ignorant or he was just stubborn. Maybe like most of us, he swayed to one side or the other in different seasons and was a mix of both in some seasons too.
Pinocchio was fortunate, he escaped before he became a full donkey but his friends were not. Many turned into donkeys.
In all of this, the most stressed character was Jiminy. Running all over the place to make sure Pinocchio was on the right path. Disappointed sometimes but still I'm the shadows helping his boy just the the Holy Spirit does to us.
Many have been lost to the devil. But many are also fortunate to realise their mistakes and make a U-turn back to God like Pinocchio did with his father.
And you know the sweetest thing about the whole thing is that Geppetto closed down his shop when Pinocchio went missing searching the entire territory for his son-the good shepherd leaving the 99 to find the one. Old man got swallowed by a whale in an attempt to save Pinocchio, at that point it was definitely giving Jonah😅.
Pin went through great ordeals to escape but he knew he had to get to his papa, the one who loves him the most. In the end, he rescued his father from the belly of the whale but he had to pay for it with his life.
Pin does dies but lady fairy arrives at the scene and brings him back to life, this time not as a toy but as a real boy because he had shown selflessness, courage and bravery.
And they lived happily ever after.
A real boy.
In some ways I am Pinocchio too
A saved human.
Reunited with the Godhead in worship and fellowship. Saved and redeemed.
Once dead but now quickened in my mortal body not by some fairy but by the resurrection power of the Holy Ghost.
I may have been a half man half donkey before. Lost in sin, shame and regret. But I turned around and ran back into the arms of the one who loved me.
Though the pulls to give up and go back to the world were great, the Holy Spirit helped me.
Now here I am, a real boy with a real family.
In so many ways, I am Pinocchio too.
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