By Ben McEachenThursday 23 Oct 2014MoviesReading Time: 3 minutes
Follow. Follow. Follow. So much following these days. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other social-media hubs seem to provide infinite channels of following. Following is so common, we probably don’t consider why we follow someone. Or where they are leading us.
Followers is something Christians have been, since way before it became cool. Unlike that random dude whose news feed you now receive, who Christians follow and where he leads them is known, certain and the best option available. To anyone. Anywhere.
Following also is a huge part of The Wizard Of Oz, one of the most beloved family films. Ever. Celebrating its 75th anniversary this year and re-released on DVD this month, The Wizard of Oz has attracted bazillions of followers since 1939. Yonks before online following was dreamed up – but centuries after Jesus called for followers – the tornado-tripping fairytale plonked a young woman in a serious situation of following.
Stranded in the far away land of Oz, Dorothy (Judy Garland) receives simple, yet vague, instructions about returning home. Rather than told to trust in Jesus or trawl online for a lifeline, a good witch directs Dorothy to ‘follow the yellow-brick road’. At the end of it lives a wizard. He should be able to help Dorothy get home. A very trusting young lady, Dorothy sets out. She follows the yellow-brick road to a strange adventure, involving musical numbers, flying monkeys and clicking heels.
The Wizard of Oz remains a cinematic journey that all-ages audiences love to board. The catchy songs and memorable characters still entice. Following Dorothy’s adventure keeps bringing us to a curious celebration of self-belief, as well as a sinister warning about running away from home. Maybe you hadn’t noticed how ‘there’s no place like home’ is a stern caution to the kids. What you also might have missed is how Dorothy’s journey to the wizard, involves following a path to only the possibility of help.
Dorothy doesn’t know where she is going or whose path she is following. Who is the wizard of Oz? And what will she do if he can’t help her? When it comes to following without really knowing where we are being led, The Wizard of Oz has powerful relevance for our online habits. Just as we can brush aside the dangers Dorothy might be blindly skipping into, our fascination with following could lead to who knows what. Maybe we will end up in a great place. Excellent. But maybe we are following people who will lead us down dodgy, destructive roads.
Following the yellow-brick road, or that random Facebooker, is a far cry from the never-ending significance of following Jesus. As Jesus told his first followers, letting him take the lead in your life requires commitment, perseverance and being willing to put aside your own ego (Mark 8:34-35). Following Jesus is not all going to be smooth sailing and dancing Munchkins. But the guaranteed result of following – an enriched human life, and blessed eternity (Mark 10: 29-31) – eclipses any fairytale frolic, or online tangent.
Rating: G
Distributor: Warner
Release Date: Out now