my current top movie is we bought a zoo. after his wife (Katherine Mee) dies, Benjamin Mee purchases a defunct zoo and sets out to restore it with a handful of people still on staff when he bought it. they work together to repair some enclosures and get the property up to code. a few months in, his funds are running out and the inspection is days away. he stumbles on a letter Katherine left for him, pointing him to an account with $84k in it. she knew how much he loved adventure, and that whether or not he had money, he would seek it out. she called the stash 'circus money.' after talking about Katherine's money with his accountant/ brother, he heads back to a cafe where his staff is gathered. one employee is blasting Benjamin behind his back, telling the rest of them to jump ship since he's been broke but pretending nothing's wrong. despite his brother's disapproval, and still with just enough to get the zoo operating again, Benjamin interrupts the naysayer and makes a speech:
Well, I wanna say, it has been an amazing experience here. Each of you, I've come to know in some small way. But the financial climate being what it is... I think none of us thought, well... I don't know how to say this. . . I've been an adventure addict my whole life, um... with no big regard for cost. Well, with no regard for cost. Basically I was just an observer and a writer, but this is my first real adventure. And I just wanna say that it's been the best one of all, because it's personal. And thanks to my Katherine. . . The money came through. So, I don't know what you've heard, but I am able to say, though I don't have a lot, I do have enough to get us by and if you stick with me, I will give this everything. But I will need everything from you and we're going to reopen this zoo. This is the best job in the world, and it's gonna take everything to make it work. So don't... don't give up on our adventure. . . Our adventure's just beginning.
i love this movie and it's not because i love the zoo, although i do love the zoo. it's because of the parallels between Mee's story and the christian life. knowing Jesus, and serving him and his church, similarly cost us everything, but what an adventure! it's difficult, exciting, heart-wrenching, fulfilling and worthwhile.
then Jesus said to his disciples, "if anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me."
and it's only beginning!
for our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory.
and there will no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it and His bond-servants will serve Him; they will see His face and His name will be on their foreheads. and there will no longer be any night; and they will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illumine them; and they will reign forever and ever.
as it is written: "no eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him."
