I’ve been absent from the blog-o-sphere for quite a while and
can’t wait to share what I’ve been working on in my absence. But for now, I
just had to write a quick reaction and reflection on the Lego Batman Movie, which I saw last night with my wife and SIX kids
(three of ours and three of their friends).
As anticipated, Lego
Batman, is clever, creative and crackles with childlike energy. The
creators packed in tons of bad guys, battles, explosions, bombs, weapons,
destruction, and general mayhem. I especially loved the endless stream of winks
and nods to previous incarnations of DC’s superheroes and literally pumped my
first when Robin whipped out a can of Bat-Shark Repellant! Surprisingly,
however, the movie also worked in some heart-tugging emotional moments amidst
the frenzied, fast-paced fun.
The story centers on Batman’s struggle to belong. Early in
the movie he declares, “Batman doesn't do ships. As in, relationships. There is no us... I don't need you. I don't need anyone. You mean nothing to me. No one does.” He repeatedly reminds his fellow crime-fighters, “Batman works alone.” But, inwardly, Batman wrestles with his loneliness. He eats dinner
alone in his enormous mansion. He spends time staring forlorn at pictures of
his parents, who he lost as a young boy. At one point, he even shows up unannounced
at a Justice League Anniversary party to which he wasn’t invited and feels the
sting of rejection. Alfred, Batman’s faithful butler, diagnoses Bruce’s
problem, saying, “Your greatest fear is being part of a family again.” The tragic
loss of his parents prevents Bruce from opening up and allowing others into his
life.
I’ve long seen Batman as a bit of a parable; a reminder that
you and I aren’t meant to live lonely lives. Rather, God formed us for family. As
I write in my book, Holy Heroes: The Gospel According to DC & Marvel:
All of us need a place to belong. All of us need to be part of something bigger than ourselves. All of us need to experience family and fellowship. Going to church is not primarily about worship. You can worship God at home from the comfort of your recliner, or behind the wheel of your car, or while kneeling at your bedside. Church is primarily about family. The Bible uses a lot of metaphors to describe the church, but the most persistent is family. In the New Testament, believers call one another “brother” and “sister.” Scripture describes our “adoption” as children of God (Romans 8:14-15). The church is called the “household” of God. The Bible says, “Now you … are not foreigners or strangers any longer, but are citizens together with God’s holy people. You belong to God’s family” (Ephesians 2:19, NCV).
