Not Surly Anymore: The Nut Job HOLY WEEK Reflection

I recently saw an animated movie with my children called THE NUT JOB. Now, it's no PIXAR movie, but it did get my mind thinking. IMDB summary: In a city park, Surly the Squirrel has finally gone too far with his latest caper leading to the animal community's winter food cache being destroyed. Now exiled, Surly and his rat buddy's, Buddy, collective nightmare on the streets ends when they discover a nut store to raid. Meanwhile, the squirrels, the heroic Andie and the ditsy Grayson, are charged by Raccoon to find a new food source and Andie runs into Surly. With no other options, she arranges a deal to help in Surly's heist for the colony, even while Surly fully intends to betray it. However, there is more going on with the nut store being a front for bank robbers while Raccoon has his own agenda to ensure his own power. In the mayhem to come, Surly finds himself challenged in ways he never expected and discovering the real prize to treasure in this adventure. 

I remember when I first heard the definition of the term: Surly and I was wondering if any of my children were thinking what I was thinking...This squirrel started out moody and mean, but he transformed his attitude and the name doesn't fit. When we got home, I asked my sons, "Does anybody know what SURLY means?" They made all types of guesses but nothing close so we looked up the definition which i simplified down to the basics: UNFRIENDLY. All the children exclaimed: "But THAT's not what he was like at the end of the movie! He needs to change his name!"

MIND TWIST:

This name scenario reminds me of a few people from the BIBLE! There are many people who had name changes. Now, these were not haphazard changes due to marriage or boredom. No, God changed changed Abram's ("High Father") name to "Abraham" ("father of many nations"), when it seemed highly unlikely that this childless man whose age was a little short of a century would ever become what this new name implied. Jacob was born holding his twin brother Esau's heel, and his name meant "holder of the heel" or "supplanter."After he spent a tiresome night wrestling with God, he got a new name. In Genesis 32:28  "Jacob" would instead be known as "Israel" ("God contended") "because he struggled with God and men and won." A third example is Peter. In John 1:42 Jesus changed Simon's ("God has heard") name to Peter ("rock" or, more properly, "stone"). Again, the name seems inappropriate because this "rock" wasn't so strong when Jesus was arrested and Peter ran for his life. But Jesus knew the changes in store for this big fisherman, and He named the man accordingly. 

This is more of a reflective post. Surly in the movie was indeed surly at the beginning, but after working with the other animals he lost that selfish edge. He really needed a new name for the type of person, or squirrel, he had become. God changed the names of folks who were not quite living in that revelation yet, but they did eventually. This makes me think of my own name. I remember being 10 or 11 in  a speciality store that had products with name or origin on it. Kimberly is of English origin and means 'Cyneburg's field', 'royal forest' or 'leader of the warriors.' I remember reading that and instantly feeling empowered, strong, and confirmed in my mind that I was a leader. I know this may sound strange, but I remember it to this day. It's like I lived up to my name. 

But this is bigger than a name. This is about the wonderful gift of being saved: being a new creature. See, Surly was a different squirrel because he became conscious of his actions and realized he didn't want to act like that anymore. Glory be to God that I am a new creature in Christ! I'm not a superhuman or anything, but I am able to bury the old ways and conform more to the example of Jesus. This reconciliation with God through Christ would not be possible without His ultimate sacrifice to redeem me. I want to live up to that sacrifice for me, live up to my new life, my new name! It cannot be about getting away with things because you know God will forgive you, but about making God happy because I love HIM!

Just like the children said about the name SURLY not fitting this character anymore, my behaviors and thoughts should not fit my OLD man. My mind is transformed and I am committed to this walk! AMEN!

LOVE PEACE AND HAIR GREASE!  KIM