It’s the classic tale of an ordinary, average girl falling for the extraordinarily dazzling bad boy at school. Except this bad boy may want more than a date. Twilight is the story of Isabella Swan and Edward Cullen, a vegetarian vampire. If you haven’t heard about it by now, you may need to check your own pulse.
Before I go any further let me say I have read all the books, seen the movie multiple times, and enjoy both. There is an appealing story to be found in this series. What girl doesn’t want to be cherished, protected, and found beautiful by a man? And the way Twilight is written, any girl can be Bella, the love of Edward’s incredibly long life. But before we get carried away in that alternate reality, let’s remember some key truths about who we are and God’s plans for our own adventures.
Perfectly Created
A large theme found in Twilight is Bella’s desire to become like Edward (a vampire) in order to spend her life with him. I understand the desire to love someone so intensely but what are you giving up to achieve that end? And what is it you gain in the end? To give up who you are, in any shape or form, alters who God formed you to be. Remember that part in the Bible where we are knit together by God in our mother’s womb? He hand-crafted you in a way that is unique to you alone. You are already a personal brand of YOU, an original. By changing who you are (or what), you risk losing what you were made for. We all want a purpose and passion in our life. It’s be pretty boring without one. But God tells us He already knows the plans He has for us, plans for hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11). Let’s seek HIM first, not a guy or a story or whatever you’re looking for your story in apart from Him.
Love v Lust
I know, I know. Edward is just in love with Bella, and she him. They HAVE to be that intense and obsessed. I mean, that’s what love is like, right? Actually, no. Love is nothing like that. Lust is though. Lust is defined as an intense longing or craving. Love, on the other hand is a little more difficult to characterize. To know what love looks like, we really need only look at the cross Jesus died on.
“By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.” ~ 1 John 3:16 (ESV)
Some words to ponder when trying to understand what true love is: selfless or others oriented, sacrificing, pure, redeeming, unconditional, enriching, purpose-driven. Do these apply in Bella and Edward’s relationship? You’ll see a few words you might associate with love are missing. Like over-protective, obsessed, controlling? Love is something you choose. God asks us to love Him freely; He does not force us to choose Him but rather waits for us to. The “love” we see portrayed in Twilight and many romances of our times would have us believe the characters simply fall helplessly in love with no option. And the trick is they cause us to believe that’s how we find love as well. We can fall into lust; love is a choice we make. I don’t think I need to discuss what God has to say about lust.
Parental Authority
I love Charlie. He’s so awkward and clueless about his daughter. Most parents probably are. They remember being a teen but it seems so much different now. Or maybe they just aren’t sure they know what to say or do to best guide you in making the right decisions. But in the end, God has given them charge and authority over their children. He also has some things to say to us children in regards to our parents.
“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord..” ~ Ephesians 6:1-4 (ESV)
Bella and Edward do not directly disobey their parents as far as we know, but there is deception aplenty. The fact that Bella is thankful for the fact that her father does not hover alludes to the fact that he also won’t ask questions when she would rather not discuss things. Edward’s constant presence in her room at any time of the day or night would probably be frowned upon if Charlie had known I would think. The blatant dishonesty when they leave for Phoenix after learning James is tracking Bella reflects a clear disregard for Charlie’s opinion on the matter at hand. I know it sounds harsh and the last thing we as children want to hear is “Parents know best”, but the truth is they are adults and have more experience. If you have a believing family, they should be instructing you in the ways of the Lord as Ephesians points out. If not, they are still your parents and have the authority to have a say in your upbringing and there are probably some believing adults in your life that you can trust to guide you biblically. As a teenager, I didn’t have a believing family but I found many adults working with our youth group or in my church that were willing to help me seek God for knowledge and purpose in decisions. Even as an adult, I seek out the advice and wisdom of other adults with more experience than I have.
The point is this: your parents love you and have been charged with protecting and caring for you. By shutting them out or deceiving them, you are in disobedience to what God has called you to as a child. You are also missing out on an opportunity to learn from someone’s success or mistake in a situation that, believe it or not, is probably familiar to them. Besides, do you want to miss the astonished look of surprise when you ask for your parent’s advice on something? To accept that they might well know a thing or two is more a sign of maturity than declaring they know nothing and forging your own path naively. I promise you will trip somewhere along the way, but I would guess your folks will help you pick up the pieces if you ask. But remember, they might also throw in an “I told you so” for good measure.
So, with those thoughts, I’d like to finish up by simply asking a favor of you. As you read the Twilight series or watch the movie, remember that this is simply a story – not a life, not an ideal, not reality. Fiction is meant to expand our minds and fuel our imagination. But it is by no means reality. Edward Cullen is not waiting for you in Biology next year. A boy watching you as you sleep or following you is not romantic. And while you may feel you identify with Bella perfectly, you are NOT Bella. Twilight is a story and is created completely as such. Stories allow characters to be perfect and sparkly, but they are not intended to exist. So, please be aware of what you are reading and remember that as magical as it all seems to be, God has a far more realistic and specifically designed journey in mind for YOU.
“But he knows the way that I take;when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold.My foot has held fast to his steps;I have kept his way and have not turned aside.I have not departed from the commandment of his lips;I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my portion of food.But he is unchangeable, and who can turn him back?What he desires, that he does.For he will complete what he appoints for me, and many such things are in his mind.” ~ Job 23:10-14 (ESV)
6 years ago
