Disney's Frozen Written on Our Hearts

I'm standing at the kitchen sink cleaning carrots for the vegetable tray I have to take to my son's end of the year picnic tonight, and I have the silliest smirk on my face because all I can think about is Olaf.  "A nose!? I've always wanted a nose!  It's so cute, it looks like a baby unicorn."  Yes, Olaf from Disney's out-of-this-world, ginormous blockbuster Frozen (if you still don't know what I'm talking about, I'm sure the rock you've been living under can catch you up to speed).  We finally sat down and watched the movie for the first time as a family last night.  Gasp, shock, horror!  Yes, we've waited this long to watch this huge hit, partly because I try not to buy into hype, but mostly because Disney princess movies can be pretty scary for the still somewhat pure minds of my little ones.  But lets just say after last night's viewing, I've drunk the Frozen Kool-Aid.

WARNING: If you have yet to see the movie, the remainder of this article contains spoilers!

With it's beautiful animation (who wouldn't want to live in Elsa's ice castle and rock that A-MAZ-ING dress?), fresh story line, and witty characters and puns, it's easy to enjoy the movie.  But I think many would agree there's something more to love about this movie.  It contains all the components of the typical Disney princess movie: a young hero/heroine, an evil antagonist, royalty, true love.

But that's where we hang a hard left turn and veer away from the typical Disney, "Happily Ever After."  We're set up for the Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Beauty & the Beast magical kiss of true love denouement as Anna and Kristoff seek each other in the blizzard, but the beautiful, sacrificial portrayal of true love shocks us as Anna lays down her life for Elsa.

And that's where I cried.  Yes, cried.  Because I see Christ.

Oh guys, it's written all over this story.  A love that pursues one its lost, that proves that true love is to lay down your life for others, and that love thaws a frozen heart where fear only paralyzes.

I was immediately drawn back to a Timothy Keller sermon I listened to a few months ago regarding Jesus as king, and why is it that our fairy tales and major movies and books contain this element of sacrificial love, the establishment of the rightful king, of paupers becoming princes and sharing in the kingdom, and why is it they are mega blockbusters and New York Times bestsellers?

Because they are a shadow THE story.  They are our story.  The one written on our hearts before time began.  We love to fall in love with, "Happily Ever After" because it is written on our hearts to do so.  

See we have a great King who came and pursued the lost, who willingly sacrificed his life as an act of true love for those same lost ones, and who established His kingdom and allowed those lost paupers to become princes and share in the inheritance of that kingdom.

While the writers of Frozen may not have intended there to be any Christ-likeness in its plot, the astounding and raving response of viewers is further evidence that humanity longs for its rescue from our rightful king and to be made princes who share in that kingdom.  It was written on our hearts from the beginning of time.