So last weekend I went with the Jr. high girls to see "Secretariat." I'm not a big fan of animal movies or sports movies, and since this movie is about horse racing, it already had 2 strikes against it. However, while watching it, I couldn't help but notice a huge strike 3, which bothered me much more than the other 2. My problem with this movie was that it celebrated an unbiblical picture of womanhood. I know you're probably wondering why I was theologically analyzing the underlying messages of this movie, but I just can't ever seem to turn that theological filter in my head off for one second (which is a blessing and a curse!) even when I'm watching a movie!In the movie, the main character, Penny, returns to her family farm in another part of the country after the death of her mother. She finds her parents' farm in shambles, and she decides to take it over. Her main objective is to train a promising horse in order to enter him into competitions. Penny doesn't settle for mediocrity, and she perseveres to reach her goals despite many obstacles along the way. Her strong resolve is admirable, and she does eventually lead her horse to make history. This is all very well and good, but my problem is with the way she goes about reaching these goals.
In order to train her horse and keep managing the stables, she is constantly flying to her parent's farm in a different state. Penny is a mother of 4, all of which are still living at home, and 2 of which are still in grade school. Not only does she leave her children and put her own dreams ahead of her duties to care for them, but she does so against her husband's will. Her husband does not agree with what she is doing in leaving her home so frequently and spending all of her time devoted to this horse. In response to this opposition from her husband, she flat-out refuses to back down from her horse racing dreams. Throughout the movie, we see some of the fall-out from her decision to leave her home. She misses her daughter's big play, is unaware of things going on in her kids' lives, and a wedge is driven between her and her husband. However, despite these problems, she emerges at the end of the movie as a heroine. Her husband and kids celebrate her for winning the big horse race, and her husband tells her, "you have shown them what a true woman looks like." Apparently all of the neglect and conflict has been justified because she has won a trophy.
Is Penny's character an example of a "true woman," as the movie teaches? I would vehemently disagree. Here's the thing. We're all stubborn, we all have dreams and desires, we all want to go our own way, and we all want to put ourselves first. Penny had a dream to win a horse race. Because of this, she put herself first, and put her own dreams and wishes above her family's. Am I crazy, or is this selfishness, plain and simple? The Scriptures teach us to do the opposite...they tell us to deny ourselves, and they call selfish ambition sin (James 3:14, 3:16; Philippians 1:17; Galatians 5:20; 2 Corinthians 12:20). Philippians 2:3 says, "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves." Does this sound like something Penny was doing?
In addition to the selfish ambition she exhibited, Penny also disrespected her husband blatantly. As much as people dislike the notion of the wife submitting to the husband in marriage, this is a crystal-clear biblical mandate. Ephesians 5:22-24 says, "Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything." Penny was disrespectful to her husband's wishes and stubbornly went her own way, completely disregarding his leadership. This is clearly not the only movie in which a "strong woman" is portrayed as one who refuses to let her husband lead her. One movie that comes to mind is "The Blind Side." The main character, LeAnn, was the clear head of that marriage and completely controlled her husband and what went on in her home. Her husband passively looked on and let her dominate.
Girls, the reason I bring this up, is because I want you to understand biblical womanhood, which is extremely different from our society's view of a strong woman. There is nothing weak about staying home and serving your husband and kids full-time. This is actually a lot harder than going out and fulfilling your own career plans and dreams, because it entails sacrifice. However, God honors the humble, the selfless, and the servants...they will inherit the kingdom. Putting your family's needs above your own is very difficult, but it is a mark of a godly woman. I do not admire women who leave their families to achieve worldly success. Rather, I want to emulate the women who spend their days changing diapers, cleaning the toilets, and cooking supper. These are the strongest women in my opinion~
