看到了一半,才逐步地看到基督信仰在生活中融合起來的自然、流暢、不唐突,
此電影在去年9月在北美上映,單是一個周末 (9月30日至10月2日) 的票房已達9百萬美金,
同期在票房榜上排名第四。
故事是講述四位警員,各有不同人生的閱歷、不同的家庭背景、不同的挫敗、
跌倒的心路歷程 ...... 在其中一位警員的女兒不幸在車禍中去世的經歷後,
靠著上帝所賜的勇氣及亮光重新站起來,並修補跟兒子原來淡薄的關係,
故事發人心省的地方,是叫人明白到父親在家庭中、子女的成長中,
所擔當的角色是不可替代的,可惜的是,現今的世代,價值觀被扭曲、高地價、
高物價的折騰... 叫人不知不覺間,忽略了父親原來在家庭中應盡的本分。
在官方網站的介紹 -
Protecting the streets is second nature to these men. Raising their children in a God-honoring way? That's courageous.
維護在街上的法紀、市民的安危是他們人生次要的職責,而教養孩童,讓他/她們行在上帝的心意中,並見證榮耀祂,乃是他們的天職,這需要 『勇氣』。在電影最後的一幕,男主角在一個父親節的主日崇拜的講台上,分享見證,節錄如下:
As a law-enforcement officer, I've seen first-hand the deep hurt and devastation that fatherlessness brings in a child's life. Our prisons are full of men and women who lived recklessly after being abandoned by their fathers, wounded by the men who should have loved them the most. Many now follow the same pattern of irresponsibility that their fathers did. While so many mothers have sacrificed to help their children survive, they were never intended to carry the weight alone. We thank God for them.
作為一位執法者,我親眼目睹了在缺乏父親的影響下,對孩子生命的傷害和破壞,我們的監獄中有許多男性及女性的囚犯,被自己的父親遺棄後,自我放縱、不顧後果,他們被原來應該是最愛他們的人所傷害,當中有許多人,學效自己的父親那種不負責任的態度。雖然有許多母親,含辛茹苦地把孩子揍大,但是,養育及教養孩童的擔子,原本是不應該由她們獨力承擔的,我們為了這些母親而感謝上帝。
But research is proving that a child also desperately needs a daddy. There's no way around this fact. As you know, earlier this year, my family endured the tragic loss of our 9-year-old daughter, Emily. Her death forced me to realize that not only had I not taken advantage of the priceless time I had with her, but that I did not truly understand how crucial my role was as a father to her and our son, Dylan. Since her passing, I've asked God to show me, through his word how to be the father that I need to be. I now believe that God desires for every father to courageously step up and do whatever it takes to be involved in the lives of his children.
但研究指出,在一個孩子成長的過程中,是極其需要父親,這一點是無可爭議的事實。你們也知道,在年初的時候,我的整個家庭都活在悲痛中,因我們失去了9歲的女兒 Emily。她的離開逼使我深深體會到,我不但沒有好好珍惜跟她一起的時光... 那是無價的,而且我從沒有真正明白作為一個父親在子女心中所擔當的角色是何等的重要。自從女兒的離去,我曾屢次求問上帝,求祂以聖經告訴我應該怎樣作,才能成為一位好爸爸? 我現在相信,上帝的心意是每一位父親勇敢地站出來,在子女成長的歷程上,盡量參與在其中!
But more than just being there or providing for them, he's to walk with them through their lives and be a visual representation of the character of God, their Father in heaven. A father should love his children and seek to win their hearts. He should protect them, discipline them and teach them about God. He should model how to walk with integrity and treat others with respect and should call out his children to become responsible men and women who live their lives for what matters in eternity.
不只是在子女的身邊提供日用的需要,而他亦會與子女同行,並活出一個模範 — 一個效法耶穌基督、反映天父屬性的模範。父親應該愛自己的子女,並且努力地贏取他們的心,保護他們,管教他們,教導他們認識上帝。他亦應該以身作則 —作一個正直的人、懂得尊重別人,並塑造子女成為有責任心的人,亦讓他們曉得在人生中,應該為那些具有永恆價值的事物而生活。
Some men will hear this and mock it or ignore it. But I tell you that as a father, you are accountable to God for the position of influence he has given you. You can't fall asleep at the wheel only to wake up one day and realize that your job or your hobbies have no eternal value but the souls of your children do.聽到這裡,有些人可能會嘲笑或對我的分享置之不理,但是我告訴你們,作為父親 — 這個上帝交付給你、具有影響力的職分,你是要交帳的! 你不能渾渾噩噩、戅戅居居地讓日子白過,以致一覺醒來,你才驚醒並發現原來的你的工作、你的嗜好根本在永恆上是沒有價值的,但不要忘記,你兒女(每個人)的靈魂卻是永存的。
Some men will hear this and agree with it but have no resolve to live it out. Instead, they will live for themselves and waste the opportunity to leave a Godly legacy for the next generation. But there are some men who, regardless of the mistakes we've made in the past, regardless of what our fathers did not do for us, will give the strength of our arms and the rest of our days to loving God with all that we are and to teach our children to do the same, and, whenever possible, to love and mentor others who have no father in their lives but who desperately need help and direction.
聽到這裡,有些人是認同的,但卻是沒有決心行出來,反而,他們只為自己的私利、享受而活,白白浪費了一個大好的機會,為下一代留下寶貴的屬靈財產。
但是,還有一些人,他們不再被以往所犯的過錯羈絆著,也不再計算父親對自己的虧欠,以盡一己之力、在人生以後的日子裡,尊崇上帝,愛護並教導自己的孩子也如此行,同時也不遺餘力,對那些生命中缺乏父愛的孩子,也是如此行。
We are inviting any man whose heart is willing and courageous to join us in this resolution. In my home, the decision has already been made.
You don't have to ask who will guide my family, because by God's grace, I will. You don't have to ask who will teach my son to follow Christ, because I will.
Who will accept the responsibility of providing and protecting my family? I will. Who will ask God to break the chain of destructive patterns in my family's history? I will.
Who will pray for and bless my children to boldly pursue whatever God calls them to do? I am their father. I will.
I accept this responsibility, and it is my privilege to embrace it. I want the favor of God and his blessing on my home. Any good man does.
So where are you, men of courage? Where are you, fathers who fear the Lord?
It's time to rise up and answer the call that God has given to you and to say, "I will. I will. I will."
現在,我向大家作出一個呼召:你們當中有那一位,有一顆願意並勇敢的心,跟我們一起作一個堅定的立志。在我家裏,我們已經作好這決定了。
你不需要問誰會帶領我的家庭。因為,靠著神的恩典,我會!你不需要問誰會引導我兒子去跟隨耶穌基督。因為 我會!
誰會肩付供給並保護我家庭的責任?我會!
誰會祈求上帝叫我們這一代不用再沿襲上一代帶來的傷痛及破壞? 我會!
誰會為我的孩子禱告、祝福並幫助他們能勇敢地尋求上帝為他們預備的路?我是他們的父親!我會!
我願意承擔這責任,亦是我莫大的榮幸,我想得到上帝的恩惠臨到我一家,任何一個父親也會這樣想的。
勇敢的人啊! 你們在哪裏?那些敬畏神的父親?
現在正是時候,站起來、領受上帝給你的呼召,並且說:『我會!我會!我會!』
有關此電影的資料:
1. wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Courageous_(film)
2. official website - http://courageousthemovie.com/themovie
3. EPM (Eternal Perspective Ministry) - http://www.epm.org/resources/2011/Nov/2/courageous-novel-honors-script-adds-characters-and/
(惟恩,以上的文字是有一半是重新再打的,因錯手關了這個視窗了,但你要謹記 — 若你認為是正確的事情,有時雖然不一定會一帆風順,但只要堅持的話,最終一定會成功的。)
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How to Become a Confident Mom?
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〈過山洞〉節錄(司徒華先生16歲參加徵文比賽奪亞作品)
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