Inspiration Comes from the Most Unlikely Places

I wish I had spent more time telling my mom how much I love her. I realize now that I am a parent of a little girl, that there are times that we don't see eye to eye, but that doesn't mean my love for her ever diminishes. In fact it grows stronger every day. I can't wake up in the morning without her coming to my mind almost immediately. Thankfully, it's never too late to start. Mom, I love you very, very much. I am glad Jordan, Jaron, Jaden and Claire have you for a Granny. And I am glad Candace and I have you for a mom.
My mom has always loved to read. She always took us to the library as kids, and I continued to enjoy reading as I got older. The only reason I stopped reading for pleasure is because I got too busy and just didn't seem to have the time. She has read all of the Harry Potter books, and loved them. Once we moved to New Jersey and found the library just down the street, I decided to take up reading as a hobby again. Boy am I glad I did! I decided to start with the Harry Potter series since Mom had enjoyed it so much. And we had seen the first two movies and enjoyed them, so I thought it was a good place to start. As of today, I am about two thirds of the way through the fourth book, The Goblet of Fire. It is so good, but probably not for the reason you may think.
After Jordan's ballet class this morning, we all went to eat lunch before she had to go to school. Chris and I were talking about some of the podcasts by Jentzen Franklin he has been listening to on the train. Something he said (that I cannot remember) sparked a thought in me. Many people would think that Harry Potter is only about an adolescent boy toying with witchcraft and sorcery. But it is, in fact, a portrait of what every human being, regardless of race, sexual orientation, or economic status, is searching for. And I have noticed how desperately some are searching. Harry Potter is the story of a boy who doesn't know he was born to wizard parents. He discovers this truth and also that he too has wizard powers. Harry Potter goes to wizardry school and finds out that he is famous, and he only 11 years old. Why is he famous, you ask? He is the only person to have ever survived the Death Curse. Lord Voldemort, the most evil dark wizard of all time was rising rapidly to power and murdering many innocent wizard and non-wizard families. He entered the Potter home with the express purpose of killing Harry and his parents, but his plan went terribly wrong. Harry's father was murdered, and Lord Voldemort turned his wand on little Harry. Only what happened next, he never expected. Harry's mother did something that Lord Voldemort could never comprehend. She stepped in between her child and the evil wizard. She took the curse from his wand so that Harry wouldn't have to. Lord Voldemort rejoiced in another "successful" murder and turned his wand once again to Harry. As the power flowed through his wand, something terribly wonderful happened. Harry did not die. In fact, the curse was reversed and fell upon Lord Voldemort, rendering him utterly powerless. Harry crawled away from the confrontation with nothing more than a scar in the shape of a lightening bolt on his forehead.
With each book that represents a year of Harry's wizarding education, he has to face Lord Voldemort in some form. And every time Harry faces the Dark wizard, Voldemort is defeated once again. There is a scene in the fifth movie, The Order of the Phoenix, that I will never forget, that makes a huge impact on my spiritual being. Lord Voldemort has regained some of his power and has taken over Harry's body and mind. He is trying to finish Harry once and for all, but again, he can't. As Harry is lying on the floor, convulsing under the evil power that has momentarily taken him over, one of his best friends, Hermione Granger, walks into the scene. Harry's eyes meet hers and he instantly relives every laugh, smile, hug and triumph they have experienced as friends. In that single moment, Voldemort is rendered powerless yet again. Why? Why does a 15 year old girl have that much authority? It is in the simple, but powerful words that Harry issues out of his mouth. Lord Voldemort has never known love. And Harry has. Harry has known the love of not only one, but two best friends. These were the friends that stayed by his side when everyone else was against him and thought he was a freak. These were the friends that he had to rescue over and over again from various trials. Harry continually thought about other people rather than himself, even people that he didn't like. But most of all, Harry knew the power of his mother. His mother loved him with the ultimate love. It was completely and totally unselfish--she loved him to the death.
You know what I realized talking to Chris today? I realized that the reason this and the many stories like it are so popular is that the main character always gets what he wants. In essence, he is always the one that is loved. He may get the girl, or reconcile a difference with someone in his life, but he always walks away knowing he is loved. Isn't that what we all want? Let me reword that: Isn't that what we all HUNGER for? Why do we hunger so much just to feel loved? Why is it so important to us? Because that's how we were created. When we were created, we had already been loved to the highest level. Before we even issued forth from the womb, we were loved unconditionally. Before we even had memory, we were loved, and loved to the DEATH. Jesus stood between the devil's horrible plan to kill us. He had his powerful wand pointed straight at us, but Jesus stepped in between us and that wand, and He took the blow. Just like Harry's mother, Jesus died so that we wouldn't have to. And just like Harry, we are alive and powerful because of what our Savior did for us. The devil is, and always will be rendered powerless. We may face him in his many different forms over and over in our lives, but he will never defeat us. He has always been defeated.
I cannot read the Harry Potter books without thinking about Jesus. Anytime Harry remembers the story of his mother, I cannot help but think about Jesus. Anytime Harry puts someone else's life in front of his own, I cannot help but think about Jesus. Many people read the Harry Potter books and wish they had someone that loved them that much. I read the Harry Potter books and know that I DO have someone that loves me that much.
Inspiration comes from the most unlikely places.