|
Insights:
Everyone should see Pixar's new
animated movie, Cars. Children, of course, will
be delighted with the film and NASCAR fans will find it
humorous, but the real reason everyone should see Cars
is because the movie portrays two very different roads of
life. There are deep philosophical questions being
asked in this film. "What road are you on?" "How does
one find life?" "Where are you gong?" The most
profound truths can be taught with childlike simplicity.
All it takes is humility to see them (Matthew
18: 3-6).
The Fast
Track
The movie opens with
Lightening McQueen saying the words, "I am speed!".
Speed is at the heart of this story. The fast
track is what McQueen is on; be it a race track or an
interstate highway. Life in the fast lane is not
racing, it is a way of life. It is life about self
(solo mio), with no time for friends. Rather,
there are talking machines that masquerade as friends.
On this track there can be only one winner; therefore,
it becomes hostile and fear based, with everyone trying
to take over and become the next king. This is a
superficial world (stickers for headlights), a
shame-based world (ashamed of one's origin - RustEze),
and a prideful world (no need of a pit crew). What
is important is speed and winning. The destination
is always a crash, even if it's preceded by Hollywood
glory and an empty cup.
The Mother
Road
McQueen's penchant for speed
and making time comes to a halt when he forces Mack to
drive all night. The unexpected detour that
results when Mack falls asleep takes Lightening off the
fast track and onto the Mother Road. The road
brings him to Radiator Springs; it brings him to a
community - not a crowd. The metaphor of springs
in the desert being a source of refreshing and renewal
is not lost here. This community is made up of
those cast off by the fast track worlds who have found a
new way of life. This is a love based community
where all the cars exist to serve other cars. They
provide shelter, paint, repairs, gas, tires, and even
bumper stickers.
The introduction to this
community is the flashing yellow light, which means
slow. Slowing down gives one time. Here there is
time for friendship, time to have fun, time to go for a
drive, time for beauty, time to race, time to learn from
an old pro, time to sleep, time to dream and time to be
real. The message is clear. The fast track
by passes the springs, and the cars suffer for it.
They never know that the real destination is Wheel Well
not Hollywood.
How does one make the
transition from the fast track to the Mother Road?
How does one even recognize the Mother Road and her
jewels like Radiator Springs? Certainly it is not
by their appearance for they both look old, worn
and deserted.
One makes the transition and
finds the road the same way Lightening McQueen did:
 |
Someone drew him off the
track.
|
|
|
He came to the end of
himself.
|
|
|
He was loved unconditionally
by a Friend.
|
|
|
He was hooked up to Bessie,
and 'Bessie' means "consecrated to God".
|
When that happens, a new
road appears, and that road brings a new life and
destination.
Remember the questions:
What road are you on?
How will you find life?
Where are you going?
Scripture:
John 14: 5-6
|
