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When You're a Christian, the Whole World Is from Missouri

Living the Life of Faith in a "Show Me" World

Abingdon Press

Can the World See Your Christian Gumption?

You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you."

—MATTHEW 5:38-42

In 1994, Forrest Gump took America by storm! The simple story of a good-hearted fellow from Alabama— with an I.Q. of 75—a fellow who stumbled through two decades of history, touched the hearts of millions of Americans. Soon after the movie Forrest Gump was released, it topped the $ 100 million mark. The novel has sold more than a million copies, and another book titled Gumpisms: The Wit and Wisdom of Forrest Gump sold over a quarter of a million copies in its first few weeks. It's simply a compilation of Forrest Gump sayings, such as "Stupid is as stupid does," or "Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are going to get."

What is the appeal of Forrest Gump? The director of the movie, Robert Zemeckis, admitted to Newsweek magazine that he was surprised by the way the film hit the cultural chord of our nation. Even the novel's author, Winston Groom, can't explain the phenomenon.

"I wasn't trying to send a message when I wrote the novel," he says. "I think I was simply trying to say that here is this man of great dignity who tries to maintain his dignity when he is put into a number of undignifying situations."

Atlanta psychiatrist Frank Pittman sees the appeal of Forrest Gump as a strong backlash against the prevailing cynicism of our time: "This movie is a confirmation that nice guys can finish first—that following the rules is not foolish. In the movie, we're seeing our whole history through the eyes of somebody who sees goodness everywhere he looks, who believes a promise is a promise, and that if he follows the rules everything will be O.K." (The Atlanta Journal, Aug. 9, 1994).

Others say the popularity of the film is rooted in the outstanding performances of the actors. Still others point to the technical wizardry of the movie. The computer magic that not only put Tom Hanks in authentic historic footage, but also enabled him to interact with President Kennedy, President Johnson, President Nixon, and Governor Wallace was indeed amazing and impressive. However, I think the appeal of Forrest Gump goes deeper still. I believe the appeal of the movie is found—if you will pardon the pun—in Forrest Gump's "Christian Gumption."

The word Christian means "Christlike," and the word gumption means "boldness, courage, wisdom, resourcefulness, strength." Forrest Gump has a simple faith which he lives boldly. He lives life unselfishly. He loves people unconditionally. He trusts God unreservedly. That basic outline is not only a summation of Forrest Gump's life, it also is a pretty good synopsis of the teachings of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount.

When Jesus says things such as "Be humble-minded," "Be obedient," "Be merciful," "Be pure in heart," "Be peacemakers," "Be the salt of the earth and the light of the world," "Turn the other cheek," "Go the second mile," "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you," "Be perfectly loving like your Father in heaven is loving," he means "Have Christian Gumption!" Be bold and confident and courageous and strong. Live boldly in the spirit of Christ, and trust God to bring it out right.

In other words, live life unselfishly! Love people unconditionally! Trust God unreservedly! These three ideas represent a summation of what scholars call the hard sayings of Jesus. Let's take a look at each of these sayings.

To Have "Christian Gumption" Means to Live Life Unselfishly

All through the Gospels, Jesus underscores the theme of sacrifice. Then he goes to the cross to show us that he meant what he said. "To live life unselfishly"—that was a key motif of Jesus' life and teachings, and it is a key characteristic of the Christian lifestyle.

Sometimes when I go in a bookstore and see all the books on topics such as the effective use of power, how to win by intimidation, how to manipulate people and get your way every time, how to negotiate from power, I often wonder what Jesus would think about these kinds of books and power politics. I think he would be turned off by the "me-ism" approach to life, because it goes so directly against the grain of everything he taught and stood for.

One of the most beautiful moments in Forrest Gump is that scene where Forrest has become rich—as he puts it, "a gazillionaire"—through his work in the shrimp business. And he takes half of his fortune and gives it to the mother of his friend Bubba. His African American friend Bubba didn't come home from Vietnam, so Forrest unselfishly shares his wealth with Bubba's family. There is something very Christlike about that; it takes "Christian Gumption" to live life unselfishly.

I once heard Drayton McLane, the owner of the Houston Astros and a devout Christian, speak to a group in Houston. He told about a meeting of the twenty-eight owners of the major league baseball teams that was held one winter. The widow of Jackie Robinson came in to speak to the owners. Jackie Robinson was the first African American to play baseball in the major leagues. He broke that racial barrier in 1947 when he went to play for the Brooklyn Dodgers. He played for ten major-league seasons and had a lifetime batting average of 311. He helped the Dodgers win six National League pennants and led the Dodgers to a World Series championship in 1955. He was an all-star numerous times and was voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962.

When his widow came to speak to the owners, McLane said they fully expected her to talk about Robinsons life and career on the baseball diamond. They expected her to describe how he broke the barrier to let African Americans play baseball in the major leagues and all the pressures they were under at the time. But interestingly, she didn't mention any of that. Rather, she said this: "What you accomplish in athletics is not important. What you accomplish in business is not important. All that matters is what you do for others!" She concluded with this statement: "A life is not important except for its impact on other peoples lives."

Where did she learn that? You know, don't you? She learned that at church. She learned that from Jesus. She learned that from our Lord, who said, "The greatest among us is the one who serves." She learned that from the One who went unselfishly to the cross to give himself up for you and me.

But this is the question: When will we ever learn? When will we ever wake up? When will we ever take seriously the command and witness of Jesus? When will we ever have the "Christian Gumption" to live life unselfishly?

To Have "Christian Gumption" Means to Love People Unconditionally

Toward the end of Matthew, chapter 5, we find those often quoted words about God letting his rain fall on both the just and the unjust. More often than not, we quote this verse when trouble comes: "Well," we say, "problems and sorrows come to all of us." And that's O.K., because that idea is indeed helpful. But if you will look closely at the context of this passage, you will discover that what Jesus is really talking about here is love— unconditional love— the love of God falling like rain on all alike!

That's the way God loves—unconditionally! Now, we may reject his love, we may ignore his love, we may spurn his love, we may turn away from his love; but like gentle persistent rain, God's love falls on all of us. He just keeps on loving us. In the church we have a special word for this: grace. Amazing grace! God loves us not because we are good, but because he is good!

Here's the catch: God wants us to love like that! He wants us to imitate his gracious, generous, compassionate, merciful, loving ways! That's what this strange-sounding verse at the end of chapter five is all about. "You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect" (RSV). In this context, the word "perfect" means loving. In Luke's Gospel, it is translated like this: "Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful" (6:36 RSV).

In the movie Forrest Gump, we see unconditional love in the way Forrest relates to Jenny. Jenny keeps running away, but Forrest keeps on loving her, forgiving her, defending her, seeking her, protecting her, helping her. His love for her is complete and unconditional. To love like that takes "Christian Gumption"!

In The Grand Essentials, Ben Patterson writes these powerful words:

I have a theory about old age.... When life has whittled us down, when joints have failed and skin has wrinkled and capillaries have clogged and hardened, what is left of us will be what we were all along, in our essence.

Exhibit A is a distant uncle.... All his life he did nothing but find new ways to get rich.... He spent his [days] very comfortably, drooling and babbling constantly about the money he had made.... When life whittled him down to his essence, all there was left was raw greed.... That is what he had cultivated in a thousand little ways over a lifetime.

Exhibit B is my wife's grandmother.... When she died in her mid-eighties, she had already been senile for several years. What did this lady talk about? The best example I can think of was when we asked her to pray before dinner. She would reach out and hold the hands of those sitting beside her, a broad, beautific smile would spread across her face, her dim eyes would fill with tears as she looked up to heaven, and her chin would quaver as she poured out her love to Jesus. That was Edna in a nutshell. She loved Jesus and she loved people. She couldn't remember our names, but she couldn't keep her hands from patting us lovingly whenever we got near her.

When life whittled her down to her essence all there was left was love: love for God and love for people. (Waco, Tex.: Word Books, 1942 [pp. 109-10]).

But the question is this: When will we ever learn? When will we ever wake up? When will we ever take seriously the command and witness of Jesus? When will we ever find the "Christian Gumption" to live life unselfishly and to love people unconditionally?

To Have "Christian Gumption" Means to Trust God unreservedly

This is one of the key themes of the Sermon on the Mount, and it was a basic motif of Jesus' life: Trust God unreservedly. Do the best you can and trust God to bring it out right. Don't quit! Don't give up! Don't throw in the towel! No matter how tough life gets, keep on living the faith, and keep on trusting God to bring the victory in his own good time.

One of the most poignant scenes in Forrest Gump is that moment when Forrest's former commanding officer in Vietnam, Lieutenant Dan, complains about God and religion and life. Lieutenant Dan is disillusioned and bitter. He lost both legs in Vietnam, and he is angry with God and with life. So he ventilates with Forrest. Lieutenant Dan spews out his hostilities with profane and irreverent complaints. He pelts heaven with his harsh words. He screams and shakes his fist at heaven. Writer Cynthia Astle describes the scene:

As Lieutenant Dan's tirade winds down, Forrest responds [with these simple words]: "I'm going to heaven, Lieutenant Dan." Forrest Gump's gentle certainty of salvation stills Dan's outrage and helps the crippled and disillusioned Dan make the first move toward his own redemption.... In that moment, Jesus' instructions that one must become like a little child to enter the Kingdom shines through Forrest Gump like sunlight through a chapel window. He trusts God unreservedly. {United Methodist Reporter, July 22, 1994, p. 4)

The gospel song says it well: "We know not what the future holds, but we know who holds the future." But the question is this: When will we ever learn? When will we ever wake up? When will we ever take seriously the command and witness of Jesus? When will we ever find the "Christian Gumption" to live life unselfishly, to love people unconditionally, and to trust God unreservedly?

When you're a Christian, the whole world is from Missouri, saying, "Show me your Christian Gumption."

Can the World See Your Spirit of Forgiveness?

Then Peter came and said to him, "Lord, ... how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?" Jesus said to him, "Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times. For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him; ... the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.' And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt. But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat, he said, 'Pay what you owe.' Then his fellow slave fell down and pleaded with him, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you.' But he refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he would pay the debt. When his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. Then his lord summoned him and said to him, 'You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?'"

—MATTHEW 18:21-33

Some time ago I boarded a plane in Houston to head for a meeting in New York. When I arrived at my assigned seat, I discovered that I would be sitting next to a young mother and her six-month-old baby boy.

As I buckled in, she looked at me apologetically and said, "I'm sorry. I hope my baby won't bother you on this long flight."

"Not at all," I replied. "I'm a dad and a granddad, and I love children. I feel like the luckiest person on this plane to get to sit next to you and your baby."

She smiled, and we began to chat. She asked about my profession and when I told her that I am a minister, she beamed. She immediately began to tell me how much she loves the church, what the church has meant to her and her family, and how she and her husband are trying so hard to be good Christian parents for their children. Just then, as only a mother can, she hugged her baby and kissed him tenderly.

"What's your baby's name?" I asked.

Proudly, she told me: "Joseph." And then she said, "Let me tell you something funny about that. Joseph is six months old now, and he has an older sister named Rachel, who is five years old. When her new baby brother was about to be born, she asked me what we were going to name him, and I said, 'Well, Rachel, what would you like to name him?' "Immediately, Rachel answered, 'Joseph! I want to name him Joseph!' And then she went on, 'Momma, if we name him Joseph, I promise I won't sell him into Egyptian slavery!'"

Isn't that amazing? Obviously, Rachel was referring to that story in the book of Genesis where the great Bible character Joseph was sold into Egyptian slavery by his jealous older brothers.

"That is funny," I said to the young mother. "But how in the world did five-year-old Rachel know that story?"

She replied, "Well, Rachel is very active, and she has a short attention span. The only way I can keep her still at the dinner table at night is to promise to read her a Bible story after the evening meal."

She paused and then continued, "I have this wonderful book of Bible stories for children, and Rachel just loves it. So every night when we sit down for dinner, we have the blessing, then the meal, and then I read one of the Bible stories. Rachel loves that one about Joseph and his coat of many colors. And she loves the one where Jesus spits on the ground, makes clay, and then uses the clay to heal the blind man. But her all-time favorite is the one where the king forgives his servant, but the servant refuses to forgive his coworker."

"Why do you think that's her favorite?" I asked. The young mother replied, "I wondered about that too, so I asked her, and she said, 'I like that one best of all because it teaches us that God is nice, and he wants us to be nice.'"

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Excerpted from When You're a Christian, the Whole World Is from Missouri by JAMES W. MOORE. Copyright © 1997 Dimensions for Living. Excerpted by permission of Abingdon Press.
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