Jedi Training Academy: Standing Together
One of my favorite additions to Tomorrowland has been the Jedi Training Academy. It’s always fun to watch the little kids train, and then “fight” Darth Vader or Darth Maul. (Of course, the day Darth Maul scared my wife half to death was fun too!)
If you’ve never experienced the Jedi Training Academy, here’s the short version of what it’s all about.
20 children (“younglings” as they’re called in Star Wars parlance) or so are selected from the audience each show to be trained as Padawans. They are brought up and given—loaned, really—a Jedi robe and a training lightsaber. The Jedi Master teaches them a simple lightsaber attack combination, and then they face off against either of the two Sith, Vader or Maul. After the encounters with the Dark Side, they are congratulated and reminded of the ways of the Force by Yoda, return their robes & lightsabers, and are given a diploma.
My favorite part of the Jedi Training Academy comes very near the end. After each youngling has faced a Dark Lord, they are gathered on the right side of the stage. When the last one is done, Darth Vader faces them as a group one last time and tempts them to turn to the Dark Side. As they stand defiant against his luring, Yoda voice comes through the air,
“Wrong you are, to think these younglings will turn to the Dark Side. Skilled they are indeed, and when together they stand, very strong in the Force they are.”
At the leading of the Jedi Master, they activate their lightsabers and the enemy is routed!
It’s that statement from Yoda that gets me every time. And it stands as a reminder to us.
In John 17, Jesus prayed, “I in them and You in Me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that You sent me and have loved them even as You have loved Me.”
Also, in his letter to the Ephesians, Paul says, “As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”
3 Key Truths
- The world knows who we are and that we are loved by God because of our unity.
- Our unity is kept through our love for each other.
- “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:35)
What tells the world that we are Christians, and makes them want what we have?
- It’s not having the right doctrines (though truth is important).
- It’s not where we stand on political or social issue.
- It’s not who we disagree with—or how loudly we do it.
It’s love, and the unity that love fosters. It’s humility, gentleness, patience, and bearing with each other. The more we love, the more united we are. And the more united we are, the more the world know that the Father sent the Son and loves Him…and us.
Love comes from God. The more connected we are to Him, the more we are able to love. The more we love, the more united we are. The more united we are, the more His Word and His love spreads, and the world is changed.
Or, to paraphrase Yoda, “Loving are we, and when together we stand, very strong is our impact on the world.”
Question: What is one or two ways you can be more united with fellow believers?
Randy Crane is passionate about helping Christians, especially those with a Disney affinity, to discover and connect to their GOD-GIVEN PURPOSE AND VALUE, to build their lives to achieve TRUE SUCCESS AND MEANING, and to POSITIVELY IMPACT their world. For more than two decades, Randy has been leading individuals and teams into a greater joy and child-like appreciation of the world around them, equipping them to reach beyond what they have previously experienced and build a God-given identity and purpose. Ready to experience that for yourself? Tell us where to send SIX free videos all created to help answer the 3 questions you need to experience PEACE, FREEDOM, and PURPOSE!