When Walt Disney’s classic animation of Bambi was re-released in theatre’s, many moms and dads relived childhood memories by bringing their young sons and daughters to the see the tender story of a little deer. A friend’s sister, whose husband was an avid outdoorsman with an impressive trophy room, was one of those parents. With her children at her side she experienced with them the gasp and groan of the tragic moment Bambi lost her mother to a hunter. To this day she recalls, or is reminded, at family gatherings of her embarrassment when, in all innocence and exuberance, her little boy shouted out, “nice shot!
Families that love together can laugh and cry together.
I’m guessing one of the reasons Paul, Peter, James and John wrote family-friendly letters with few word-for-word quotes of Jesus is that he had given them an animated understanding of words. Together they were learning fresh ways to recall his approach to religion and politics— with affection and without animus.