My review of Seven Pounds

Spoiler alert: I'm gonna share my detailed thoughts of Seven Pounds starring Will Smith.






Turn away NOW if you haven't seen it & want to.





I'm warning YOU!




Fine then.




As soon as I got home the babysitter asked me "how was it?" The popcorn was great. Peanut M&M's divine. The movie? Not sure.

I think Will Smith is an AH MAY ZEENG actor. Seriously, he can pull off just about any role. From alien fighter to homeless dad....he's got it going on! And his performance in this is nothing but top notch. And I should know because...well, just because.

The problem was the story line. I LOVE the idea of giving...from your heart...your whole heart...just not sure I meant literally.

The idea of trying to reconcile the deaths of his fiance & the other car of strangers just doesn't work for me. It's like people who do, do, do good things hoping they'll get into heaven. They're amazing people. They have a kind heart. But did they ask for The Savior? Are they doing these things in His name? Or are do they believe "I'll get to heaven if I'm a good person" ?

I have a friend who said that to me once "I'll get to heaven if I'm a good person". It reminds me of Mark Beeson (our pastor) talking about how he explains the acceptance of Christ to people he encounters. He asks them to rate themselves from 1 to 10..based on how good of a person they think they are.

Got that? 1-10 based on how good of a person THEY think they are. 10 being Jesus - cause he's perfect. 1 being Satan - cause he's...well...the devil. Of course he throws in that Mother Theresa was probably a 9. I think he said most people will say they're a 4-6. He then explains that accepting Jesus is filling in that gap from 4-10 or 6-10. We need someone to fill that gap, because we can't do it ourselves.

You can't fill the gap w/ actions. But you can w/ Grace. You can't fill the gap w/ money. But you can w/ Mercy. You can't fill that gap w/ warm fuzzy feelings. But you can w/ Love.

Will Smith was obviously trying to fill a gap. A gap of guilt, shame, responsibility. I've felt that gap. I still feel that gap. Even though I know it's filled w/ concrete, I sometimes fear it's only quicksand. I have to be reminded constantly.

I think most in the theater felt, that when the movie was over...he had earned forgiveness. Forgiveness for the deaths. Forgiveness for the stealing. Forgiveness for the lies.

I didn't feel that way. Yes, he gave away a lung, a kidney, part of a liver, his heart, his eyes, his home & bone marrow. Those are all unbelievable things. But in order to do it he had to kill himself. He. Had. To. Kill. Himself.

You can see it in the scene where Will is stung by the jellyfish (& also when he gives bone marrow) that he's punishing himself. He wants to feel pain like his fiance did. He thinks that will somehow make things right. But we all know that's not the way it works. He's empty...not whole...broken...

I'm not a theologian, a biblical scholar or a good person for that matter, but I know that God uses broken people. In fact I would say He uses me MORE when I'm broken. To whisper a word of encouragement or bless someone w/ a hot meal. I'm more receptive to His guidance when I'm submitting...when I'm broken...

I just can't help but think about all the people in my circle of influence who are broken...looking for something to fill the gap. Maybe it's w/ good works. Maybe it's w/ sex. Maybe it's w/ drugs. Maybe it's w/ shopping. Maybe it ends w/ suicide. Maybe it's all of the above.

Maybe it ends w/ ME or YOU...showing up...pouring into...emptying out...