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Exercising faith in a world full of cynics: what Buddy the Elf teaches us about the gospel

Though I normally write about Disney and the gospel, this one makes it worth deviating from the norm. Disney-produced or not, this Jon Favreau-directed film became a Christmastime classic in my house almost twenty years ago. Since it’s considered newer to the repertoire of classic must-see Christmas movies, it’s hard to believe it’s been around that long. Along with so many others, the joy-filled, child-like antics of Buddy, the beloved giant green and yellow elf, will probably be featured on our screen sometimes after the turkey dinner on Thursday and before the tryptophan coma kicks in.

But…have you ever thought of it as a messenger of the gospel?!

You know the story. Starring Will Farrell as the main character, the movie, Elf depicts the life-altering journey of Buddy, a real-life elf, straight from Santa’s workshop at the North Pole. Throughout the story, we watch Buddy struggle with the reality that in his new, temporary home of New York City, there is a lot of skepticism revolving around his big man, Santa.

My emotions are still captivated every time I watch one scene near the end of the movie. I know what you’re thinking—it’s a comedy. Still, that doesn’t make this scene any less affecting, in my opinion. I admit that I get choked up. After Santa Clause makes an accidental appearance over New York City’s skies, a huge crowd gathers in Central Park because of the hubbub. Newscasters and townspeople look toward the heavens, wondering if what was seen in the night sky that Christmas Eve was a plane, a UFO, or as children believed, Santa Clause himself.

There, before the very eyes of everyone who was so sure that there was no such thing as Santa—including the sassy newscaster herself—the jolly, old red-suited man flies directly overhead, along with his sleigh and nine real-live reindeer directing the clatter taking place above.

Throughout the crowd, eyes bug. Jaws drop. There are no words. The news station has to go to a commercial break because the anchorwoman is speechless. She is frozen in disbelief—or now belief—because of what she and the rest of the skeptical crowd just saw with their very own eyes.

At this scene, without fail, goosebumps travel down my arms. My eyes well up with tears. Not just because of the feel-good emotions it brings about, where the protagonist of the story finally wins, and the antagonists are proven wrong, or even because of the childhood memories it brings back of that magical feeling of Christmas time.

No—I am going to make a leap here: the reason I get chills is that I can’t help but think when I’m watching Santa be revealed in front of every eye about the parallel of this scene to what we are told in Scripture will eventually unfold in real life when Jesus Christ makes his return. We (Christians) are Buddy the Elf, living out our faith in a world of cynics—those who don’t believe what the ancient Scriptures in the Bible say is true of God.

2 Corinthians 5:7 tells us to “live by faith, not by sight.” One day, Jesus himself shall return, and according to Philippians 2:10-11, “every knee should bow… and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.” Oh, the glorious day that will be for all those who have anxiously awaited His return with hope and anticipation.

In this scene of Elf where the entire plot culminates in the climax of Santa being discovered by all the people, Elf is also, and maybe just as importantly, finally seen for who he is and who he belongs to. Elf’s true identity exists in Santa, not because he was born of elf descent or born in the North Pole because he wasn’t. He was an orphan, taken in by Santa and his elves, just as we are adopted into an identity with Christ.

I realized after watching Elf for probably the 10^th time that not everyone readily makes this connection between the story in the movie and the narrative of the Bible nor recognizes the story’s symbolism to Jesus’s return and everyone on earth finally seeing and bowing and confessing once and for all the truth about our God. This particular time, I was watching the movie with the very pastor of our church and his family. I felt a little silly for getting emotional about a juvenile story like Elf because no one in the room was making the same connection that I was about the deeper truth of Jesus’s return, and things finally getting set straight. The truth is, that will be an emotional event: in front of all the people, Jesus finally getting the glory He deserves on this earth.

The turth is, that will  be an emotional event.

And, yes, I realize there are definitely differences between the story of Santa Claus being exposed and the story of Christ’s return—some very important differences indeed, right down to the fictional/non-fictional nature of them, but I have found it to be a blessing to see Christ in all things, even stories that were never intended to convey a deep biblical truth. Even secular stories like Elf.

Stories are important to the life of our faith. More than hearing a sermon with bullet points, we love hearing stories of how God has worked in people’s lives, whether those people are from Bible times or from today. We long for them. Jesus, even, spoke mostly in stories, or parables, that were inspired by everyday life but reflected a deeper religious significance. They were metaphorical for the truths Jesus was trying to convey about life and faith, just as the story depicted in Elf can be seen as a metaphor for Jesus and his eventual return. Storytelling makes the invisible truths of God visible.

What stories from the big screen point you to the gospel? How will you watch Elf with new eyes this holiday season? Leave a comment.

Share Jesus through the fun of your favorite movie with these Buddy the Elf Gospel T-Shirts!

Want to see more movies through the lens of the gospel? Remove the scales and reveal God in your everyday life, including in what your family is already watching HERE.

More Disney Gospels:

Cruella and the gospel

What Disney’s Soul taught me about satisfaction

For Your Kids: What Princess Anna teaches us about change

POSTED BY

Jenna

Jenna Kruse is a teacher but not in a classroom. She loves to think outside the box and inside the Word and is daily in need of an attitude adjustment. She is a wife to Justin, a mother to three school-aged children, and a mentor to teenagers and young adults. You can learn more about the heart behind her blog HERE.

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