In the new blockbuster movie Wonder Woman, Diana Prince, leaves the safety of the Amazons with her lasso of truth, bracelets of submission, sword and shield to save the world from the evil god of war, Ares. The record-breaking opening weekend has left fans everywhere excited about the film and a renewed energy about this female super hero’s ability to fight as a warrior and show compassion and focus on the mission at the same time. What I love about Wonder Woman is her belief that she has a sacred duty to defend the world by fighting for love.
Every super hero is focused on justice and is given special super powers in order to battle against the world’s evils but Wonder Woman aka Diana Prince begins her super hero career with the words, “Who would I be if I stayed?” And at that moment she leaves everything she knows to fight evil so that love will win.
Faced with the perils of World War Two, Wonder Woman quickly discovers the power of evil in our world, hate that can become all encompassing, and evil that lives within us has power to change even the simplest person. She discovers, like we all do at some point in our lives, that no one person is all good or all bad. Instead there is good and bad in us all. Pastorally speaking, we are all sinners and yet we are not all bad.
It would be easy to give up the fight because it is a lost cause. You cannot conquer all evil with the swing of a sword or a lasso of truth. At one moment of the movie Wonder Woman is ready to give up. Humanity doesn’t deserve to be rescued. That is until she remembers what really matters—love. At this pivotal point in the movie she pauses and says, “It’s not about deserve.”
She is right. It is not about what we deserve. If it was, Jesus would not have lived, died and rose for us. Instead it is about unconditional love of God and compassion shown to us and each other. Many have pointed out the parallels of Wonder Woman and Jesus. The way they both come to save the world from evil and present the gift of life and love to us.
I see it differently. I see Diana Prince, a woman with a career as Wonder Woman and life. Someone who has taken the time to recognize the good and bad in all of us. Someone who shows compassion and kindness, respect and healing towards her fellow people. Diana is willing to be vulnerable and compassionate. She stands up for what she believes and is unwavering even when everyone around her thinks she is crazy.
It is in these characteristics that I believe we are also called to live. We too are called to see passed what people deserve, and show compassion to each other. We too are to love first and hate last. We too are to fight for those who can’t fight for themselves.
Diana is daring us to be different. To be the Wonder women and men in our communities by living with a different purpose—the knowledge that only love will truly save the world. To walk with a lasso of grace and truth, to see the world through Jesus’ eyes of compassion and love.
The movie ends with Diana aka Wonder Woman off to save the world one more time and these words, “And now I know, that only love can truly save the world. So I stay, I fight, and I give for the world to know it can be."
Stay with God, fight for love, give compassion and grace to each other. And live as God’s wonder women and men in His world!
