Worthy of Being Called
In Ephesians 4:1-3, we read, "As a prisoner of the Lord, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the Lord Jesus Christ" (NIV 909). In the movie, A River Runs Through It, directed by Robert Redford, the father of Norman and Paul Maclean is the pastor of a Presbyterian Church along the Big Blackfoot river in Missoula, Montana. Through Reverend Maclean's humble and gentle character and the way he lives his life with patience and love, he demonstrated that he is worthy of being called a man of God. Reverend Maclean devoted his life to God and the gentle art of fly-fishing. Through the tranquility of the river and the beauty of his cast we discover how he picks up God's gentle rhythm. "'Man is a mess by nature, only by picking up God's rhythms will we be able to regain power and beauty. To him, all good things, including trout as well as eternal salvation come by grace, grace comes by art and art is not easily acquired '" (A River...). Through the art of fly-
The second attribute of Reverend Maclean's character that shows he is a man of God is his humble walk with the Lord. This is demonstrated through the analogy of the traditional walks along Big Blackfoot with his sons. On these walks he would "'feel his soul restored and his imagination stirred'" (A River...). Reverend Maclean was able to do this by listening to God through the peace of the natural outdoors and the life of the river. He would always say, " 'If you listen hard enough all your life, you can hear the voice of God' " (A River...). New International Version, The Holy Bible. International Bible Society.1984. NIV Pocket-Sized Study Helps. Broadman. 1995. We have come to know Reverend Maclean throughout his life to be a man of God. "Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the Lord Jesus Christ" (NIV 909). If Ephesians 4:1-3 is what it means to be a man of God and live up to the calling than Reverend Maclean has fulfilled the calling to be a man of God. A River Runs Though It. Dir. Robert Redford. Pref. Craig Sheffer, Tom Skerrity, Brenda Bleth
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Approximate Word count = 784
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)
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