I love the movie, Karate Kid. I’ve watched it over and over quite a few times, and I have most of it memorized. It inspired me to take karate, which I did during college until the tendon in my foot gave way.
For those of you unfamiliar with this classic 80’s movie, let me sum it up: Daniel Laruso is a new kid tormented by some of the guys at school who are members of the Cobra Kai Dojo. During one of their “beat up on Daniel” sessions, the old handyman from Daniel’s apartment complex (Mr. Miyagi) jumps into the fracas and beats them up. He begins to teach Daniel karate. You know the rest of the story. Wax on; wax off; learn the praying mantis stance (or whatever it was called); win the tournament. (“If done right, no can defend.”)
During the movie, Mr. Miyagi and Daniel visit the Cobra Kai dojo where Miyagi hopes to convince the sensei to tell his students to lay off Daniel. They watch a bit of the class, and they learn that the dojo’s motto is: Strike First, Strike Hard, Show No Mercy. Later that evening, Mr. Miyagi explains to Daniel that the problem is not with the students. The problem is with the teacher. The teacher at the Cobra Kai dojo has warped the students and twisted them into bullies.
Cobra Kai students were jerks. Miyagi-do Karate (a little inside joke for you Karate Kid die-hards) students were nice. You can tell the dojo the students belonged to by watching their behavior.
Jesus gives us another example in Matthew 12:33. “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit.” If a tree bears oranges, it’s an orange tree. If it bears pecans, it’s a pecan tree. If it bears apples, it’s an _________? You guessed it! An apple tree! If it bears mangos? Don’t touch it. (Mangos are actually part of the poison ivy family, and many people (including me) are allergic to their skin.)
You can recognize a tree by its fruit. You can recognize the dojo a student has aligned himself with by the student’s behavior. Keep this in mind for tomorrow when we discuss more of Galatians 5.
Prior blogs on Galatians:
- A New Direction
- What is Truth – Part 2
- Galatians 1a: The Context
- Galatians 1b: What Exactly is Grace?
- Galatians 1c: What's Missing from Galatians 1:1-5?
- Galatians 1d: God-Inspired
- Galatians 2a: Double Jeopardy
- Galatians 2b: The Great Council
- Galatians 2c: Justified = Declared Righteous
- Galatians 2d: Dead to the Law
- Galatians 3a: The Standard
- Galatians 3b: Observing the Law vs. Faith
- Galatians 3c: Consider Abraham
- Galatians 3d: The Curse of the Law
- Galatians 3e: The Purpose of the Law
- Galatians 4a: An Illustration from Tommy Boy
- Galatians 4b: Child Heirs vs. Adult Sons
- Galatians 4c: Our Abba Father
- Galatians 4d: The Heart of a Legalist
- Galatians 5a: Two Choices-the Law or Grace
- Galatians 5b: Dueling Natures
Pocasts on Galatians:
- Podcast: Galatians 1: Grace vs. the Law
(read a description and download podcast) - Podcast: Galatians 2: No Double Jeopardy
(read a description and download podcast) - Podcast: Galatians 3: The Purpose of the Law
(read a description and download podcast)
Fantasy novelist M. B. Weston is the author of The Elysian Chronicles, a fantasy series about guardian angel warfare and treason, which is being adapted into a graphic novel series by Wandering Sage Publications, Inc., with Weston penning the script and KISS comic book artist, Adam Black, doing the art. Weston hosts a podcast on her To Elysia and Back Again blog, which can be downloaded on itunes. Click here for a complete listing of the To Elysia and Back Again podcast episodes. Weston is also the host of The Final Cut in Movies, an internet radio talk show about science fiction and fantasy movies on Ad Astra Radio, which can also be heard as a podcast on M. B. Weston's Podcasts site or on iTunes. Weston speaks to children, teens, and adults about writing and the process of getting published. For more information on M. B. Weston, visit www.mbweston.com. Find out more about The Elysian Chronicles at www.elysianchronicles.com.
