Off-Topic Thursday: Scar and Satan

I have the privilege of once again bringing you a guest post today, this time from my friend Jane Stefanowicz. I met Jane in person at Dan Miller’s Coaching with Excellence event in May of this year, and was blown away by her wisdom and knowledge when it comes to financial coaching and couponing. Jane is a Dave Ramsey Financial Coach and a Coupon blogger. Her calling is teaching people how to spend less, but have more. You can learn more about her, read her own blog, and connect with her at Freedom Financial Coaching and StretchYourSavings.com.

 

The other night I was reading Disney’s The Lion King to my 5-year-old for her Reading Log assignment.  As the events unfolded, I couldn’t help but realize how much Scar’s behavior reminded me of Satan.  So subtle with his manipulation.  “Crafty” and “cunning,” just like the serpent is described in the garden (NIV and New King James versions respectively).

The same thing happens to us in our daily lives.  Satan doesn’t just come right out and shove something down our throats.  He’s more subtle than that.  Surely we as believers would see outright sin/evil and turn from it…and Satan knows that.  So he’s become the master of the Sneak Attack.

Something can seem mostly OK, but have the slightest twinge of naughtiness or disobedience.  We can then justify our behavior by excusing it as something that “could be worse”.  

We justify immodesty by saying things like, “Yeah, this dress is a little tight, but it’s not like I’m having an affair. That would be wrong.  Those women have serious issues with lust and will be held accountable for their actions.  Whew.  Thank goodness I’m not in their shoes.” And off she trots to the club with her girlfriends feeling like she’s Mother Teresa!  Completely ignoring the lust that she’s intentionally attempting to be the object of.  Crafty, cunning logic like that gets our hearts into dangerous territory.

 

Scar and Satan both manipulate the truth to influence their “targets”.  They don’t outright lie, bully or double-dog-dare Simba and Eve into disobeying their fathers.  They twist the truth just enough to make the bad behavior sound attractive and harmless.

A perfect example of this is when Simba approaches Scar to brag about being the heir to the throne.  Mufasa had just shown Simba his expansive territory of Pride Rock and told him he would rule it all one day…”everything the light touches”.  When Simba asked about the shadowy place, Mufasa told him that area is not their territory and they must never go there.   The temptation begins.

Scar: …So, your father showed you the whole kingdom, did he?

Simba: Everything.

Scar: He didn’t show you what’s beyond that rise at the northern border…?

Simba: {Disappointed} Well, no… he said I can’t go there.

Scar: And he’s absolutely right! It’s far too dangerous. Only the bravest lions go there.

Scar continues to feign concern for Simba’s safety as he plants the seed of rebellion. 

 

What a direct parallel to the Garden!  Genesis 2:16-17 says ”And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat;  but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”. 

Then the craftiness enters the scene. 

Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?” And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden;  but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.'”  Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die.   For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”  (Genesis 3:1-5).

 

Both Mufasa and God basically said to their kids, “I’m giving you this amazing place!  You’re gonna to be in charge of it all…just be sure you avoid that one little part right there, OK?” And all is well until Scar and the serpent come along to throw their manipulative monkey wrenches into the mix…and we take the bait just like Simba and Eve did!

In summary, we’ve got good news and bad news.

The bad news is:

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” (1 Peter 5:8)

The good news is:

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”  (Philippians 4:13)

 

We can do this!  We know how both books end!  In The Lion King and the Bible, the bad guys lose.  I’m so happy to be part of the winning team.