Life Lessons from Kid

Matrix Revolutions, you did it again: you made me cry at a movie. Last I watched this third installment in the Matrix series, I drew a parallel to mankind's age-long fight against sin and the devil. This time, I was particularly drawn to Kid, the young boy who enlists in the fight against the machines even though he's well under the minimum age. Most may consider these terribly cliched, but these quotes of his moved me nonetheless:

* When the captain refuses to allow him to volunteer because he is too young - "The machines don't care how old I am; they'll kill me just the same." Indeed, no one is disqualified from battle on account of age. Age didn't deter Kid, and neither should it us.

* When the captain, dying, tells him to take the captain's vehicle and manually open the west gate - "Sir, I never finished the training program." In war, there may not be time for full and formal preparation, but you go anyway. Kid did, and so should we.

* As the machines bear irresistibly upon the humans and it is clear Neo is their only hope - "Neo, I believe." Faith like a child. 'Nuff said.

By the end, by the climactic exultation - said by Kid, by the way - of "it's over, the war is over," the tears were flowing liberally. The world attempts to deaden our awareness of the war that rages in and all around us, for our souls and for our generation. We are led to believe all is well with man and God, that our worries and efforts should go into making as good and comfortable and fat a life as we can for ourselves and our kids. To be mindful of eternity, of depravity, of righteousness, is at best well-intentioned but useless and at worst dangerous and bigoted and insane.

But I believe something else. I believe that danger bears in on us that is greater and nearer than the sentinels swarming into Zion. I believe there exists an evil one who can marshal far greater weaponry than anything the Wachowski brothers could conjure up. I believe we are in the battle of our lives, for our lives and for our generation.

And, I believe that the outcome is certain, and it is that God, long mocked or dismissed, will be exalted in the end. Some day, in some form, we will hear - will be the ones to say? - "it's over, the war is over." If we have been faithful soldiers throughout, the news will bring relief and joy unspeakable. And to know that that destiny is certain means we can proceed into our present battles with courage, determination, and faith. Just like Kid.