Dead American

Jane and Michael are lost and ultimately found by Bert, who is dirty and grimy from his work as a chimney sweep. He carries them home. Then Bert is recruited to clean the chimney at the Banks’ home. He teaches the children of the joys of being a chimney sweep, how sweeps are the luckiest people because they see London from the rooftops. No one else gets to do that.

The children are then sucked up the chimney while Bert is showing them the pull of the wind across the rooftops. Bert and Mary Poppins follow. The whole group them explores the rooftops and sees London as the sunsets, a beautiful sight. Before their gallavanting, however, Poppins gets out her makeup kit and puts MORE soot on her face. At one point, Bert does not see how they can go on, but Poppins magically enables them to reach even higher.

Bert, Poppins, and the children return to the Banks’ roof and other sweeps pop up and spontaneously sing and dance. Poppins joins them while the children watch.

As the dance ends, Bert ends up talking to Mr. Banks, sharing Bert’s perspective on his problems in an indirect way. Mr. Banks is enlightened by Bert as to what is right.

As Bert represents the poor, the poor have a unique and higher perspective. “The poor are rich in faith.” The poor even know how to tap into the invisible pull that takes you to that higher perspective. The Church chooses to identify with the poor, intentionally putting on the dirty “make-up” to help them feel comfortable. This does not mean sin. This means dressing down instead of dressing up, living below your means instead of above them. The Church should do this.

The Church should also be willing to celebrate and mourn with the poor.

The rich, and the world, will not be enlightened until they see the world from the perspective of the poor.

The Church, however, isn’t satisfied with the perspective of the poor alone. That is only a starting point. She seeks to take even them higher with the supernatural foundation of grace and the Holy Spirit.

In his last conversation with Poppins, Mr. Banks demands she explain everything. Her response? “I never explain anything.”

The church doesn’t need to defend herself. She has a Husband for that. Her actions stand alone.

Ultimately, Mr. Banks has to face the music. He is called in to the bank and fired. His response? He proudly takes full responsibility for his son. He speaks Poppins’ word and sings her song.

Now he has learned what Poppins had to teach him. He responds as she would. He returns home with a restored kite broken at the beginning of the movie. He takes the family out flying kites after singing and dancing through the house. The whole household follows him with joy. It bears noting that while focused on loving his family, his feminist wife follows him and he is rewarded with a better job.

Just as Banks faced his trial alone, many believers must do the same. The Church is not a babysitter. We have to prove our relation to the Body of Christ by responding as she would respond in those situations.

One of the main ministries of the Church is to return spiritual authority to the fathers. Raising and teaching children is not the responsibility of the Church but the fathers. The Church will and must assist and encourage, but it is the father who must fulfill his calling as a leader and teacher.

” … the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to the fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.” — Malachi 4

These are the last words of the Old Testament, both literally and chronologically. Next comes the New Testament and the revelation of the New Covenant and the Church. This is the restoration the Church must endeavor to bring to save the earth from God’s wrath. This is our destiny and calling.

At the end of the movie, the wind changes and Mary flies away, her calling fulfilled. Before she leaves, her umbrella companion chirps up and says, “Not even a goodbye. It is as if they love their father more than you.”

“That is as it should be,” she replies.

Yes. It is.

Peace.

Mary Poppins puts the children to bed the night before their big day with their father and teaches them to notice something on their way to the bank. There is an old woman who sits on the steps to the cathedral and cries out, “Feed the birds, toppence a bag.” For a minimal amount, she sells bread crumbs to feel hungry birds. Poppins sings a song about this woman and how the saints look down and smile when someone shows they care.

This presents one of the primary messages of the Church: feed the poor. Heaven is pleased when you do. The old waman sitting on the steps is also symbolic. In order to ascend to the House of God, His Kingdom, you must give to the poor.

Did not Jesus say so? “Don’t lay up treasure on earth. Lay up treasure in heaven.” How do you lay up treasure in heaven? Giving to the poor. In Matthew 6, Jesus clearly shows the person laying up treasure on earth as a non-follower of Christ and those laying up treasure in Heaven as true believers, full of light.

It is funny how we teach this as optional or suggestive in our American culture.

Michael is faced with the same dilemma many in the American Church face. He brings toppence of his own, willingly, to feed the birds. He is told by his father of a more sensible use of that money. At the bank, the financial authorities stoically try to convince young Michael that feeding the birds is throwing the money away. They have better investments that consist of expanding the British empire.

Michael is not convinced. His compassion and the teaching of Mary Poppins ring in his heart. He grabs his money from the hands of the bank and runs off because he wants to feed the birds. Chaos ensues at the bank.

There is no greater investment than giving to the poor. All other investments carry risk and are only temporary at best. You will not enjoy worldly investments in heaven, and if you are a follower of Christ, you will be there for eternity. Heavenly treasures are a sure thing, and you get to enjoy it for eternity. Any other investment is idiocy, comparitively. If the Church loved people, they would teach them about this type of investment.

But it takes a child-like faith to believe it. Those distracted by the world and “mature” in worldly ways will not see this. Unless you become like a child …

A quick note on Michael, the boy with the same name of the highest angel.. His name means, “who is like God?” … the answer? Those who give to others in need.

to be continued …. (last one tomorrow!)

The whole household is transformed by Mary Poppins’ presence. The cook and the maid sing over their work, sharing kindness to one another instead of squabbling. The children bring their mother flowers instead of being a pain.

The only one unhappy with all this joy is the father, the one who acted for change in the first place. He tries to contain this joy in his house. The children attempt to share their joy with him, even sharing the new word Poppins taught them, but it is just gibberish to him. All this only makes Mr. Banks critical of Mary Poppins.

As the Church brings true change, she exhibits a higher authority. Worldly authorities feel threatened by this and persecute the Church. She does not bring the type of change the world expects or demands, and her Word is confusing to worldly minds.

Mr. Banks decides to have a talk with Poppins about all this nonsense. Again, Poppins is the one in control of the exchange. Mary puts the children back in the hands of Mr. Banks and has him take his children to work with him. In speaking with Jane and Michael later, they beg her not to go. When she explains she is going nowhere, they had assumed she was “sacked (fired)” by their father.

She stronly states: “Sacked! I am never sacked.”

In standing before the Roman authority, Pilate says, “Don’t you know the power I have over you?” Jesus’ response: “You would have no authority unless my father gave it to you.” Christ said elsewhere: “No one takes my life from me. I give it up.”

As Christ’s representative on earth, the Church carries a higher authority. The Church is in control because our Father is in control. We leave of our own accord, not when told to leave. I’m also reminded of when Paul and Silas were still in the jail after the doors were opened. They stayed and blessed the jailor’s whole household, refusing to even leave the jailor’s house until the Roman authority ASKED them.

Man nor his authority controls our destiny; only God can do that.

to be continued …

Upon meeting the children, they immediately recognize something magical about Mary Poppins. She slides UP the bannister. She carries only one bag, but her supply is endless. When one asked how long she will stay with the family, she answers, “Only until the wind changes.”

The world should immediately recognize the supernatural and miraculous in the Church. This should be instantly evident. The Church also has very few belongings of her own, but always possesses exactly what she needs. Her only commitment is to obey God, to follow the Spirit, the wind, and even she does not know where God will send her next. She signs no contract, makes no promises.

The first thing Mary Poppins teaches them is to clean their room. But she teaches them a song that enables them to work with joy.

While the Church values childlike innocence, she also values living up to responsibility. But the Church helps men and women find joy in the most menial of tasks by working for the Lord in everything.

Then the adventures begin. Poppins is both spontaneous and practical. Coming upon her friend, Bert, he is finishing his sidewalk chalk drawings. After a short conversation, Poppins is convinced by childlike excitement to enter the chalk drawings and have a “holiday.” During the holiday, however, Poppins shows restraint, wisdom and character.

The Church must learn to be spontaneous as opportunities present themselves, even to participate in joyous occasions. But those spontaneous opportunities are still subject to wisdom and righteousness. She never loses the purity of her character. Although spontaneous and sometimes fun, the Church is not led by her own s.

A quick note on Bert: He is representative of the poor. Of all characters in the movie, he knows who Poppins is and what she is about, even saying, “It’s a jolly holiday with Mary.” Bert is from the lowest class, a chimney sweep, almost an untouchable in British society at the time. But he is transformed into a gentleman in her presence, not in actual station (he must return to his actual poverty), but in how she honors and treats him.

The poor should find such a haven in the Church. The poor should feel such joy in fellowship with the Church. More on that later.

On this chalk-drawing holiday, Poppins teaches them how to race with confidence but not recklessly. They race on inanimate horses. She teaches them a new word they have never heard, a word to use when they don’t know what to say.

The Church should intentionally use situations to teach others how to run the race of the kingdom with confidence but not recklessly. The vessel we use to race with is flesh, crucified with Christ. We race as men walking. The Church also teaches people how to speak in a new way, to allow the Holy Spirit to fill your mouth whne you don’t know what to say.

In general, Poppins teaches with song. A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down. Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. The Church is to teach in singing from the heart.

To be continued ….

Being the parent of a son who is almost 2, I get to watch some interesting programs. Of course, I only allow Micah to watch certain things coupled with his tastes. We also attempt to restrict his viewing time, so his choices are naturally limited.

My mother sat with Micah one day and put the Disney classic Mary Poppins into the DVD player, hoping to entertain Micah for 10-15 minutes.

He watched most of it. He loved it, which is cool with me because I’ve always loved that flick myself.

So I’ve seen Mary Poppins a few times over the last couple months. Upon watching it in the mountains a couple weeks ago, God enlightened me with an interesting concept.

Mary Poppins is symbolic of the Church.

Now, as I say this, I do not mean to be critical, as some of you rolling your eyes might think (I can see you!).

I am serious. As a fictional character, Mary Poppins is symbolic of the Church, both as she is and as she should be, an ideal of sorts.

This week I will concentrate on the important symbolic aspects of Mary Poppins. Since the only full picture of the Church can be found in the scripture, this will naturally be somewhat incomplete, but I feel there are some important revelations here.

The story begins with an upper class British family with a problem: their nanny quits. George Banks, the father, takes it upon himself to get involved. The children, Jane and Michael, have their own idea of what is needed and share their requests with Mr. Banks, which he summarily ignores.

While Mr. Banks is somewhat misguided, it is important to note that Mary Poppins doesn’t really get involved until the authority of the household makes an effort towards change.

The Church is many things, but she finds it difficult to enact ideal change when the head of the family, appointed by God, is apathetic or hostile to her ministry.

On the day interviews are being held, a strong wind blows through and does two things: removes all other nannies and brings in the true solution, Mary Poppins. When she is interviewed, Poppins does not even attempt to submit to Mr. Banks’ standard of what she should be. She does not even allow Mr. Banks to hire her. She sets up a trial period. She is the one totally in control.

While the efforts of the fathers initiate change, the Church is not submitted to the authority of earthly fathers. She is brought in by the wind. In John 3, Jesus tells us that no one knows where the wind comes from or where it goes. So it is with those who follow the Spirit. The Church is controlled and directed by an unseen force, the Holy Spirit. Just as only one nanny will do, there is only one Church, one representative of Christ in the earth. There are no other options. Only the Church is designed to express the world.

And since the Church shows up in obedience to the Spirit only, she does so on her own terms. She cannot be controlled or manipulated by those she ministers to. She is the one with the authority of Christ as her head.

And Poppins is much closer to the desires of the child than the standards of the , just as Christ stated it takes the innocence and purity of a child to enter the Kingdom. “From the mouth of s” so to speak.

to be continued …