Lessons from Wonderland
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“God often speaks to me through stories and films. Recently a movie clip kept coming to mind from the Matrix when Morpheus offers Neo the choice between the red pill and the blue pill. The blue pill will take him back to business as usual, a life devoid of truth and controlled by machines. Or he could take the red pill, with the risky offer of a dangerous adventure— “let me show you how deep the rabbit hole goes. ”
To be honest, I don’t remember a lot more about the film, but this scene has always stuck with me because I believe we are often faced with the same choice concerning the Kingdom of heaven and the decision to follow this wild man named Jesus. Will we choose the uncertain adventures of Narnia or the familiar comforts and ignorant bliss of the matrix? I finally decided to watch the most recent version of “Alice in Wonderland” after a real white rabbit kept showing up near the patio where I have my morning coffee. I realize this makes me sound as mad as the hatter, but stick with me. I watched the film the weekend before the online spiritual direction training. I nearly fell out of my chair when the main speaker, in her final session, recounted lessons to be learned from—you guessed it—Alice in Wonderland! THEN, my small group decided to create a skit for the final talent show and they asked me to be Alice. (hence the red bow in the pic above)
So I leaned in to the lessons Alice had to teach me, and thought I would share them with you. Here is what I learned (and am still learning):
Beginnings are always messy. When Alice tumbled down the rabbit hole, I’m sure she was a mess, with dirt on her dress and grass in her hair. Since Jesus was born in a barn, my guess is that His earthly debut was also a little messy. When you decide to obey God and surrender your will to Him, it’s going to seem messy at first. If you’re starting a new job or you just got married, it may take some time to adjust. We are entering a new season of empty nesting and it has been awkward and uncomfortable trying to find our new “normal”. I am trying not to give unsolicited advice to Savannah, which is difficult for me because well, I pretty much know how to make everyone’s life better. Ahem. JK. (Rolling my eyes) What about you? What in your life seems messy right now? Maybe it’s supposed to be a little clunky for awhile. Beginnings are always messy.
There will be scars. When you fall or jump into a rabbit hole, there will be scars. Do it anyway. It’s summer now and my younger self would have tried desperately to hide all the scars on my body. Instead I display them proudly because they mean “I survived.” Dead bodies do not scar so it says I AM ALIVE. To open your heart and be vulnerable with others who could hurt you is risky. You may be left with scars. Do it anyway.
Nothing is impossible. In Wonderland, rabbits talk, playing cards dance and cats can become invisible. The White Queen tells Alice, “Sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.” This is why I want to live in Wonderland. I want to live a life “full of wonder” in a place where gay meth addicts fall in love with Jesus and suicidal veterans with PTSD are filled with the spirit and find their true purpose. Where an embryo that has been frozen for six years grows into a lively toddler, thriving in her new family. What impossible things do you need to start believing or believe again? If God said it, He will bring it to pass.
Don’t shrink or stretch to fit others’ expectations. Alice was either shrinking in order to fit through doors or stretching to reach what she thought she needed. The lie of the enemy that I hear most in my own personal life is “You’re too much.” I am outgoing and charismatic in pretty much everything I do, but this makes some people uncomfortable. In the spiritual direction training I just attended, I kept telling myself to “tone it down” since there were attendees from many different denominations. When it came my turn to share my spiritual journey, though, it was like opening a furnace. The response was encouraging. They said things like “Wow—I used to have your passion for the Word. I want it back,” or “I love how you recognize the Scriptures being woven through the story of your life. It inspires me.” In what ways are you shrinking or stretching to fit others’ expectations? Pray and journal about it.
Never EVER lose your muchness (or if you do, get it back!) My favorite scene in the film occurs when the hatter is trying to convince Alice that she is the chosen one to slay the evil red queen’s dragon. She balks, “I couldn’t if I wanted to.” The hatter pauses, tilts his head and replies, “You’re not the same as you were before. You were much more…MUCHIER…you’ve lost your muchness. In there (he points to her heart), something’s missing.” (Watch this clip on YouTube) I have to admit that I “lost my muchness” over the past few years, especially during the pandemic. I needed someone like the hatter to come along and remind me of who I am, a slayer of dragons, a warrior poet princess. What about you? Have you lost your “muchness”? It’s time to get it back. Here’s the clip from the film . . .
When Alice didn’t know how to slay the dragon, the White Queen said “The sword knows . . . all you have to do is hold onto it.” This is wise counsel for us as well. How do we get back our muchness and slay dragons in Wonderland? We hold onto our Sword, that’s how.
