“Pocahontas: Choosing a Different Path” Jer 6:16, Matt 5: 43-44

We are now in our second week of a sermon series focusing on reflecting on the gospel message as found in Disney movies. As a reminder, for those of you who couldn’t be with us last week, we are not saying that Disney is the gospel. Instead, we are saying that biblical truths about who we are as humans and who God is can be found all around us, because they so permeate our world. Therefore, they can be seen, even in the stories of Disney, when looked at with a Christian perspective.

Last week we talked about how the movie Aladdin illustrates that God chooses to use people who are less than perfect, diamonds in the rough, for Kingdom work because God sees who we are in our heart and knows our potential. This week we will be looking at Pocahontas. Remember that the movies for each week sermon are shown Friday night at 7pm in the gymnasium, if you would like a refresher on what the movie is about.

As a refresher, Pocahontas tells the true story of the Jamestown settlement and the interactions the settlers had with the teenager Pocahontas and her tribe when they arrived, though Disney took some liberates in retelling the story. In 1607 a ship departed from England for the “new world”, containing sailors who were excited to find gold in the new land. The ship was captained by John Smith. On the other side of the ocean, unaware that a ship is coming, is the Powhatan tribe, which Pocahontas is a part of. When the settlers land they begin to strip the land and hunt out the Native Americans, seeing them as a threat. But along the way, John Smith and Pocahontas meet and fall in love. They hope that they can unite their two tribes.

But underneath this basic story is an internal struggle within Pocahontas. She faces a series of choices throughout the movie, that define who she is and what she believes. She keeps having a reoccurring dream about a spinning arrow that she can’t quite understand, but knows its important, so she seeks out spiritual guidance from Grandmother Willow. She feels like something is about to change just around the river bend. But while she has a sense of anticipation her father has a different plan, in which she marries the strongest and bravest warrior from their tribe. So she needs to make a choice about what path she will follow, the one her father laid out for her or the one that she feels tugging at her heart.

We all have similar decisions that we need to make every day about what path we will follow that speak of what we value and who we are. The prophet Jeremiah in our first scripture passage today is writing to the people in captivity reminding them that they  were given the ancient path, the path of covenant with God, but they choose a different way instead of walking in it. What path do we choose? The one that has the opportunity to know God and do God’s will or the one that strays? God’s hope is that we be directed by the Holy Spirit, but we are also each given free will and the choice of which path we will follow. 

This week I spent time preparing for summer camp, where we are talking about how to listen to God, especially in a world that is so noisy and tries to pull us different directions. While Pocahontas may not call the advise Grandmother Willow gives her to “listen with her heart” prayer, thats what it truly is. Are we listening with our heart for the still small voice of God? Are we going where the Holy Spirit takes us? Or are we choosing a different path?

What makes choosing a path so difficult is that often the path of being faithful to God requires courage and understanding. It requires us to step outside of our comfort zone in order for us to grow to trust God’s will. Its not always the safest path, in fact sometimes it can seem just reckless. But our faith is not meant to be tame. It is meant to take risks that help us grow in relationship with God. So we need to listen to discern the will and path that God has laid before us.

It reminds me of Robert Frost’s poem “The Road Not Taken”. “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I - I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.” Brothers and sisters, the road of faith is not necessarily the most well traveled road, and it is often difficult terrain. The other path may look appealing. But God asks us to walk hand in hand with Christ down the less traveled path of faith. 

Such cross road decisions are also difficult because they can seem overwhelming. Do I take the new job? Do I tell someone how they have hurt me? One of the cross road decisions I had to make in life was whether to listen to God and go to seminary or go down the path that I had chosen for myself. When we go down the easier road, it may feel okay for a while, but when we listen to that still small voice in our heart, the prompting of the Holy Spirit, we realize that it in fact is not the path of faithful response. 

“But Pastor Michelle, what if I can’t hear that still small voice? What should I do?” That is when we seek out wise counsel from spiritual mothers and fathers who we know to be seeking and following the will of God in their own life. Sometimes we can become so overwhelmed that we become paralyzed, it is then we need these wise people in our lives to help us discern the paths before us.

Another choice that Pochonatas has to make is whether to fight with those who are different from us, those whom we consider to be our enemies, or if we talk with them. Once again, Pocahontas and John Smith seek out spiritual wisdom from Mother Willow who has them look at ripples in the water - how they are small at first but grow with time. She tells that “Sometimes the right path is not the easy one.” and “Someone has to start the ripples”. 

They had a choice - to love those who are different then them, which is countercultural, or to hate their enemies. And they choose the way of peace, knowing that not everyone, and possibly maybe not anyone, would follow them. But they needed to start that ripple effect. 

When you are angry with someone what is your first response? Be honest. Is it to pray? Or do you let your anger consume you or tell someone else how this person has wronged you? Do you exhaust all other paths before bringing your hurt and pain before God? And when you do pray is it for that person to be blessed or that God punish them? When Jesus speaks about praying for our enemies, its not simply that God will eliminate them or that they would come around to having our opinion. Rather its that we can show them the love of God and that God’s blessings will be showered upon them. A pretty radical and courageous prayer.

Once again, a far from easy path to choose. So how to you choose it? You prepare yourself spiritually before anything takes place to choose it. You go to God daily in pray, praying not only for yourself and those you love, but for those you struggle with. You seek out wise counsel, when issues to arise, from spiritual parents who can remind you to pray for your enemies, and covenant to pray for you during that time as well. 

Brothers and sisters, we all have paths before us. Maybe you have a decision you have been wrestling with this morning. Maybe you have someone that you are struggling with deep in your heart. What path are you going to choose? If you don’t know where to turn who can you go to this morning to seek out wisdom, who can prayer with and for you? I ask you again, what path are you going to choose? Are you going to choose the way of God or the other way? Amen.