Years ago I was introduced to a movie called The School of Rock. I became interested in this movie because I wanted to be a teacher. The movie is about a man named Dewey who owes rent to his roommate. His roommate's girlfriend keeps telling his roommate that he needs to tell Dewey to pay rent or kick him out.
Dewey is in a band but he gets kicked out. One day the apartment is called by a principal asking for Ned, Dewey's roommate, to come and substitute at their school. Dewey pretends to be Ned. While at the school, Dewey does not teach the students anything. He is actually more excited about the end of the school day than the kids are!
The next day Dewey hears the students playing instruments in music class. He gets the idea to make the class into a band. Then the students ask Dewey what they are going to sing. Dewey then sings the legend of the rent to the students (link to song here).
What I find interesting is the whole song is about Dewey's resentment toward just about every one. He is upset at Ned and his girlfriend because they are forcing him to pay rent. He is upset at his band because they kicked him out. Dewey is being very selfish at this point because he is using the kids just to get money and to pursue his dreams. What he does not realize is that he is basically all alone in the world. Selfish people do not have friends because they use their friends.
Sometimes we have a tendency to think only about what we need and want. We have dreams and we are willing to do anything to reach those dreams. I'm not saying that having dreams is a bad thing. But when we hurt others in order to reach our dreams, when we are selfish, that is when I have a problem with following dreams.
As Christians, we are called to love others. That means that we are not selfish. I understand that humans have basic needs like needing food, water, shelter, etc. But, when we plow through other people just to get those things then we are not loving others.
Instead, we need to trust in God to provide for our needs. And, we need to trust God with our wants as well. He has a plan for our lives. We just need to trust him.
In the end Dewey realized that he was wrong to have used the kids. And, he realized that he was being selfish. He decided to let the kids have a say in the band. He let the kids write a song and they went to the battle of the bands. Dewey had friends and became selfless. To find out the end, you will have to check the movie out.
So, are you being selfish? What can you do to show your love to others?
Philippians 2:3-4, James 3:14-16, John 13:34
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