Day 32 : 5 things Rango taught me about commitment

It’s nasty rough learning about commitment by living life. It’s easier, and more fun, learning it from a movie lizard with Johnny Depp’s voice.

I had to take notes when I watched Rango with the kids earlier this year. It was talking to me.

It’s all of us

Rango lives comfortably as a pet chameleon, imagining all the roles he could play in real life. He dreams and pretends, but never takes any steps to be the things he dreams of.

One day his aquarium falls out the back of the family vehicle and he’s stranded in the desert. Movie makers call this the inciting incident; it’s the moment the hero is forced to act.

Rango ends up in a small town and finds that doing what he’s good at—pretending; being casual with hope—helps him fit in, and even makes him a hero to the townspeople. His whole life has changed, but he has not. He’s still pretending.

Another inciting incident forces Rango to live and be his dream, but he cannot; he wilts and admits to everyone, and to himself, that he’s a poser. He confesses that he’s gained respect and credibility by pretending. He’s done none of the things he said he did, and he’s not really the person he’s pretended to be. He quits and flees, in disgrace and shame.

He walks off alone into the night, head down, moaning, “Who am I…I’m nobody.”

Holes have an up – listen for a voice up there

At this lowest, most helpless point, supernatural things happen to preserve him and move him forward toward hope. He ends up in a conversation with the mythical Spirit of the West. Can you relate to this? I sure can. That’s why it’s in the movie – it’s all of us:

Spirit of the West: “Sometimes you gotta dig deep to find what you’re looking for.”

Rango: “I don't even know what I'm looking for. I don't even know who I am.”

Spirit: “....doesn't matter what they call you..its the deeds that make the man.”

Rango: “Yeah but my deeds just made things worse. I'm a fraud, I'm a phony. My friends believed in me, but they need some kind of hero.”

Spirit: “Then be a hero.”

Rango: “Oh no, no no, you don't understand. I'm not even supposed to be here.”

Spirit: “That's right. You came a long way to find something that isn't out here. Don't you see? It's not about you. It's about them.”

Rango: “But I can't go back”

Spirit: “Don't know that you've got a choice, son. No man can walk out on his own story.”

It’s Rango’s defining moment, where he embraces his role in his own story. He returns to the scene of his shame and failure. He doesn’t have any answers, and he doesn’t know what to do or how it will turn out. He just goes. He plans, he acts, he fails, he succeeds, he experiences supernatural intervention. No guarantees, but his hope was not about results, it was about becoming something. This hope is reached.

Your life probably does not hinge on making the right decision at one moment, or you blow it. You probably get a series of moments.

But, at some point, you MUST start joining your own story.

The 5 things Rango taught me about hope and commitment (I actually typed these into my iPhone at the movie)

1. Beware of casual hope --

God loves shoving it in your face to see if you really want it

2. Hope sprouts from the gutter –

Sometimes giving up your plans, without giving up your hope, can be the best thing you can do. Casual hope is the photo in the seed catalog; committed hope forces it’s way out of the ground.

3. You don’t have to make a big, heroic commitment –

Just realize you have no choice and go towards it and quit avoiding it. Then keep going. This is the start.

4. Once you get going, supernatural things happen to lead and guide you –

But you don’t get all the answers at once.

5. Your renewed commitment and action are still not enough –

But now heaven moves things as you move with heaven. It’s still scary and unpredictable.

“Don't you see? It's not about you. It's about them…No man can walk out on his own story.”

-----

Thanks for reading. The 31 Days of Scary Hope : encouragement to go from IS to COULD BE series is continuing a few extra days. To start at the beginning, click HERE.

Comments

[Joy Manoleros]

As a storyteller, I love this on so many levels! Haha! "Casual hope is the photo in the seed catalog; committed hope forces it’s way out of the ground." Love this. Love your blog. Let's make it 100 days... 200 maybe... ;o)

[elliptical reviews]

No offense, but if there's a facebook like button, it'll be much easier for me to share.