Is This A Chocolaterie Or Is It A Confessional?

Again the Holy Spirit totally amazes me. THE DECODER RING had its biggest group yet come out for our screening of "Chocolat." We delved into Joanne Harris' fairytale world of sweet delights. We learned how her upbringing, filled with food, folklore, and magic influenced both the novel and the film. And we enjoyed the incredible performances of all the delightful characters, under the watchful direction of Lasse Hallstrom.

"Chocolat" is a reverse-morality tale about a little French village steeped in tradition and tranquility. One day a woman and her daughter come to town and decide to open a chocolate shop, right at the beginning of Lent. The Count, the self-proclaimed patriarch of the village, locks horns with Vianne, the shop owner and outsider. A mini culture war ensues. Soon the villagers are caught in a battle between religious tradition and secular liberty.

We talked about the trappings of convention, and the true nature of our freedom in Christ. We learned that because our eternal destiny is secure, we have more than enough license to take risks and see what God would do in our lives. We examined how modern movies constantly assign Christian attributes to non-Christian characters. We dug into the story of John 4:4-26 where Jesus went out of his way to speak with a Samaritan woman whom his society had rejected, and drew parallels between that story and "Chocolat." We learned the devastating effects of pre-judging others who are different than us. We examined the character of Vianne, and how she naturally and effortlessly listened to anyone she came in contact with. We were also challenged to be Christ's ears and truly be there for other people.

As always, we ended with prayer for all the people involved with the movie. We thanked Him for their talent and artistry, and we prayed that they would be drawn to stories that honor the Lord and extol His virtues. We also prayed for a more honest and genuine relationship with Jesus so we can love everyone who crosses our path.

Want to check out this "Scripture and a Screening" ministry? Come join us Saturday, July 1 at the Church Office for the next meeting of THE DECODER RING! See you there!