Faith in Film — The Blind Side


Tonight we take a look at a bit of a lighter film in "The Blind Side." But that's not to say there isn't something to be taken away from this story of faith in action.

Discussion Questions:
1. Did this film work for you, why or why not?

2. During tough times in your life, what ways have you been lifted up by others?

3. As Christians, what role do we have in helping those in need in the world?

4. How can we help make a difference in the lives of those in need in our community?


Thoughts:
This film was one of 10 Best Picture nominees for 2009 and earned an Academy Award for star Sandra Bullock for Best Actress. It’s an inspirational and true-life story of Michael Oher, who is the starting right tackle for the Carolina Panthers. It is a moving picture of what is possible when someone steps out of his or her comfort zone to help another in need.

The basic story centers on the Tuohy family, who live in Tennessee. Both kids, Collins and SJ, attend Briarcrest Christian Academy along with Michael Oher, a young man from a broken home that lacks a support system. Oher has drive and raw talent but no one to look out for him. When matriarch Leigh Anne Tuohy (Bullock) takes Michael in and invests in him, he begins to thrive. The film mixes in a message about what it means to be a Christian and to invest in those in need. The story is inspirational because of the positive effect on the lives of everyone involved but it also includes a compelling push that there is more left to be done.

We just finished a couple weeks of thinking about the Yes God is putting on our hearts. For the Tuohy family, that Yes was taking in a boy who needed a family, a home, and a support structure. It wasn't easy, and it wasn't without cost, but it was right. 

Our call as Christians is to help those in need. The idea of charity used to be associated with what it meant to be a Christian. The first deacons were formed to care for widows in the Bible. As recently as the 1920s, people turned to the church to make a difference in the world; to help those in need. But somehow we've lost that.

I heard a minister once talking about the need in the world, and how, as Christians, it can be overwhelming. He said he realized that he couldn't meet the needs of everyone, but he could do that for one person. So he found that one person and advocated that we should do for one what we wish we could do for everyone. If we all did that, what would the world look like?

"The Blind Side" is a model of that, and it's even referenced at the end as Leigh Anne talks about the need in our world. Michael Oher's life was changed. Whose life can we change if we only consider our Yes?

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