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Aug 08, 2021

Frozen 2

Frozen 2

Passage: Ruth 1:12-18

Speaker: Rev. Katie Pestel

Series: Streaming This Sunday

Many of us have been watching movies through different streaming services from home. Over the next six weeks during worship, we will look at the gospel messages found in six of these movies. Pop some popcorn, grab a seat, and join us for this fun series that intersects culture and Christianity!

Frozen 2 by Katie Pestel

Scripture: Ruth 1:12-18 NRSV

The success of the Frozen franchise begs the question: Why are these movies so popular? 

  1. Flips the fairy tale on its head; subverts the expect tropes. Example: Women save the day; handsome prince is the villain
  2. The creator of Frozen is a woman and the 2 leads are women, sisters Elsa and Anna. Leads are relatable – they are flawed, and they make mistakes.
  3. The plot themes are relatable, complex, and deal with real human emotions and struggle. 

Frozen and Frozen 2 wrap relatable characters and themes into a beautifully animated and scored, delightfully humorous and engaging package.  

Link to trailer

Elsa and Anna are on a journey to discover the truth and to make things right. Along the way, Anna finds herself in a dark place. 

  1. She’s grieving many losses and she realizes that she alone must continue the journey of making things right.
  2. Anna had everything to lose, and she loses almost everything.
  3. She is suffering in her grief and resolves to embrace the mantra given to her and her sister earlier in the movie and do the next right thing.

 

Link to “The Next Right Thing”

The creators of Frozen 2 speak openly about the inspiration for this part in the movie being the loss of a son of one of the creators. For the creators, Anna’s ability to get up off the ground and put one foot in front of the other is the heart of the movie. 

The actress who voices Anna, Kristen Bell, finds this part of the movie deeply meaningful and describes her connection to both the character and this mantra of “do the next right thing.” 

Link to Kristen Bell talking about “The Next Right Thing”: (2:03-3:00) 

Lyrics to “The Next Right Thing”

When you are lost, when hope is gone, but you must go on and do the next right thing

Take a step, step again, it is all that I can to do the next right thing

I won’t look too far ahead, it’s too much for me to take.

But break it down to this next breath, this next step, this next choice is one that I can make.

And with the dawn, what comes then? When it’s clear that everything will never be the same again?

Then I’ll make the choice to hear that voice and do the next right thing. 

Scripture: Ruth 1:12-18 (NRSV)

  • Centers on female lead characters who are in crisis (famine/displacement/a move/death)
  • 3 Women are widowed: Naomi/Ruth/Orpah
  • Each must determine the next right thing
  • Naomi decides to return to her homeland
  • This decision leaves her two daughters-in-law each having to make a choice
  • It is not an option for women to live on their own/supporting themselves
  • They have to make choices that will result in finding a male relative 

As sisters-in-law Ruth and Orpah have choices to make, Naomi presents an option to them saying… 

12 Turn back, my daughters, go your way, for I am too old to have a husband. Even if I thought there was hope for me, even if I should have a husband tonight and bear sons, 13 would you then wait until they were grown? Would you then refrain from marrying? No, my daughters, it has been far more bitter for me than for you, because the hand of the Lord has turned against me.” 14 Then they wept aloud again. Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her.

15 So she said, “See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law.” 16 But Ruth said,

“Do not press me to leave you
    or to turn back from following you!
Where you go, I will go;
    where you lodge, I will lodge;
your people shall be my people,
    and your God my God.
17 Where you die, I will die—
    there will I be buried.
May the Lord do thus and so to me,
    and more as well,
if even death parts me from you!”

18 When Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more to her.

The text is filled with loss and grief = they are weeping aloud. 

Ruth and Orpah each have a decision to make regarding their current situation.

  1. Orpah’s choice = kisses her MIL goodbye and returns to her family of origin
  2. Ruth’s choice = clings to her MIL

Hebrew verb “clings” = deepest commitment, similar to man’s union to wife (Genesis 2:24); “Where you go, I will go”

Neither woman could immediately solve the problem at hand, but what they could do was the next right thing.  

Our call as the people of God, as followers of Jesus:

We don’t have to solve the whole problem at hand, but what we can do is the next right thing. 

What is the next right thing grounded in? How to discern?

LOVE (Matthew 22:37-39)

“When one can see no future, all one can do is the next right thing.” – Pabbie the Troll, Frozen 2

“I just thought of one thing that’s permanent. Love.” -Olaf, Frozen 2 

It all ends up ok both in Ruth and Naomi’s story as well as in the Frozen universe, AND I will leave it to you to read the rest of Ruth’s story and to watch Frozen 2.  

In the meantime, may you know that you are deeply loved by God, and may God give you the grace and courage you need wherever you are in your journey to do the next right thing.