(If you want to hear Lori read the story click) here

 

I am a big fan of the movie Fireproof. It was made by a church in Georgia, with little money and no experience. But they created a film that had a significant impact on many people. It told the story of a couple whose marriage had all but died, and the challenge that one husband took on to rekindle his commitment. I love that the man who played that part refused to kiss the woman who portrayed his wife. In the final scene, the embrace is with his own wife.

 

Another thing I love about Fireproof is that it actually happens over time. Many scripts have people fall in love in a day or a week, and I bristle at the subliminal message it has embedded deep in our culture. If you do not get instant results, forget it. The fact that Caleb works for an outrageously long time (40 days) to turn his marriage around helps counter our very short attention spans. Sometimes I wish that we could be at least as generous as severance packages. They give a month's pay for every year of employment. I wish couples would give at least a month of marriage education or counseling for every year of marriage before splitting.

 

The makers of that movie have now made another, called Courageous. This one tackles the tough issue of fatherhood. It is in theaters now, and I am eager to go see it. With the high numbers of children growing up without fathers in the home it is a crucial message. 

 

I applaud the efforts of people who devote themselves to reaching millions of people through the media. The influence of that industry to saturate our minds with lousy examples of relationships makes me want to leave the planet.

 

On a number of occasions I have asked a group to randomly think of a movie or television show. Then I make a prediction that 80% of those choices will be about falling in love, 10% will be about something besides relationships, (science fiction, crime busters) 5% will be about adultery, 3% will be about a widower (Disney did a lot of these) and 1% will be about a healthy marriage. I have not always been right, but I would be thrilled to be more wrong. I wish a room full of twenty people could collectively name as many movies that portray strong marriages. 

 

Can you?