Oh Disney. You're great at making me feel all sorts of emotions. Recently I watched Aladdin and was dancing around the room to "Friend Like Me" and "Prince Ali" (even though my brother looked at me like I was nuts heh heh). Then the final scene came (shown above) and I watched it on repeat. I may have shed a tear. God can use even Disney movies to hit me with truth.
Genie wants Aladdin & Jasmine to be happy. He seeks their good even though it means Aladdin won't have a remaining wish to free Genie with. Of course Genie desires this for himself, but even greater than this desire is his love for his friend. He is willing to make a tremendous sacrifice so his friend can be with the girl he loves. Even more astoundingly, using that final wish for Aladdin to become a prince was Genie's own suggestion.
And at that suggestion, Aladdin immediately protests because he made a promise to Genie to free him, and also wishes his friend's happiness, even though it would mean he can never be with the girl he loves.
Love is not self-seeking. Love does not insist on its own way. Love means action, commitment and sacrifices. Love is rejoicing in another's blessings, and recognizing that it is a blessing in itself to be able to give to another.
When the world, and my own sinful heart scream out "look out for numero uno" (aka myself), here is God using a cartoon to whisper a different story to my heart.
I am called to love selflessly too. Am I at least willing? How often do we give of our time, energies, and lay down our desires for the good of another? What would change if I loved like that? What would change if we loved each other like that? How much thankfulness and joy and truth would characterize our lives?
Then the Lord reminded me that Jesus loves me like that. He loves me. It is so easy for me to forget. He loved me so much that He willingly became a sacrifice to reconcile me to God even though it cost Him dearly. That's an even greater display of love! When I remember that, it is then I am filled with gratitude, and from there I can love others, albeit imperfectly, with even a fraction of that love.
1 Corinthians 13:4-5
Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil...
Philippians 2:3-8
Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross
John 15:13
Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.
John 15:13
Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.
