FACING OUR GIANTS







Pic.: Gautam Save

There is a short film by the name – ‘Facing the Giants’. Probably, you have not heard about it… At least, I hadn't, till my friend, Harish, told me about it, a week ago. He was so passionate about the story of the movie, that he wanted to show it to his 300-odd young employees…

Harish’s passion rubbed on me and I found out more about this film… Yes, I was charged by it, too…

Well, ‘Facing the Giants’ has a very simple – call it naïve or old-fashioned if you wish – theme: “If you have an unshakable faith in God, and if you keep doing the best of your best meanwhile, there is no reason why you wouldn't succeed.”

Incidentally, as the movie is made in America, the God, here, is the God in the Bible – Jehovah…

But then, does that matter?

When you visit Harish’s work place, you would find, in every corner, the giant-sized images of Satya Sai Baba of Puttaparthi. Harish and his family are, also, dyed-in-wool followers of Chinmaya Mission…

And, yet, Harish is so passionate about showing the film, ‘Facing the Giants’, to all his young staff…

The God in the Bible and the God in the Gita are no different to my friend, Harish… If there is one Creator, it must be the same Creator, who, a Hindu, like Harish, worships or a Christian, like me, worships…

We both say ‘Praise the Lord’… to the same Almighty God... So, does a Muslim, a Jew, a Buddhist and a Jain…

Have faith in God; praise Him not matter how bad the days are for you, at present…


Grant Taylor (played by Alex Kendrick) is the head coach at Shiloh Christian Academy. Nothing seems to go right for this young coach… Not a single win he is able to inspire in his six-year-long tenure as the head coach. The seventh season starts with three consecutive losses… And, now the real trouble starts… The impatient and angry parents want Grant to be replaced by another coach… Adding to this trauma, Grant is weighed down by the personal sorrow of being childless, and he knows that it is because of him, that his wife, Brooke, is unable to conceive… There is, also, his car which keeps breaking down and breaking his heart…

Then, it happens… Inspired by the Word of God, Grant decides to place all his faith in God, while not compromising on his efforts… His coaching now assumes a new confidence, a new direction… He inspires his young boys with the same faith… fires them with confidence, courage – to face the mighty opponent Richland Giants… “With faith in God, and with faith in yourself, you will defeat the Giants!” Grant charges his boys…

And, the tide turns… The underdogs end up beating the Giants… to emerge to be an awe-inspiring team…

As the tide changes, the bad car goes… and a lovely surprise appears…

Yes, a lovely baby, too!


A fairy tale?

Not really, sir…








We all have these Grant Taylor moments in our lives… It looks as though nothing is going to work in our lives… our hearts keep bleeding… minds keep worrying… Others lose confidence in us… they give up on us, desert us…. Yes, it hurts… very, very badly…

Fear, anxiety, worry, hopelessness, low self-confidence, poverty and loss of love… all these are the real-life giants whom we face…

Come on, think of it… How can we ever face these giants with a crest-fallen confidence? It is only when we surrender to the Higher Power, and then go about doing the best of our best efforts, that we would be able to face – and beat – our giants…

Not otherwise…


GERALD D’CUNHA

Video: YouTube

Comments

Anonymous said…
Too good, too inspiring. Great video. Thanx.
January 10, 2015 at 6:46 PM
Nita Pinto said…
If God is with us who can be against us!
January 12, 2015 at 8:35 PM
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