A Spiritual Lesson In Toon Language: Lesson 16

Topic: Temptation And Shortcuts

Series: Smurfs

Episode: "The Fastest Wizard In The World" (Smurfs)

Lesson PDF link: 16.pdf

Introduction

I use the Smurfs episode "The Fastest Wizard In The World" to show that some shortcuts are not worth it because of the definite possibility of a half-baked plan yielding a half-baked result and destruction close behind.

Scriptures used include Luke 4: 1-13 and Luke 6: 46-49.

What in your opinion is a temptation? A shortcut? When does a temptation or a shortcut turn into a sin?

Cartoon: "The Fastest Wizard In The World" (Smurfs):

What temptations and shortcuts do you see in this cartoon? If you don't know, ponder the question and consider the Bible study we are going to have. Afterwards we will link the Bible to the cartoon.

Bible Study: Luke 4: 1-13, 6: 46-49 (The Temptation of Jesus and the Wise and Foolish Builders)

First, let's look at Wild Smurf. What did he do at the beginning of the cartoon? How is Wild like the foolish builder in our study? How is Handy like the wise builder? Let's compare Wild (above stated and analyzed) to Gargamel. How are they alike? Did Gargamel use shortcuts that were foolish? What shortcut(s) did Gargamel use? Did Gargamel do anything at all the right way? (This question will be answered later in analyzing the cartoon.) Let's compare the cartoon with the Bible scriptures now. How was Jesus tempted to use a shortcut? What did Jesus say? Was Jesus like Wild, Gargamel or Handy in the cartoon? How did Jesus handle his temptations? (Don't think of what Jesus said this time, but think of some word or words to describe Jesus's actions.)

Wild represents the 'foolish builder' and Gargamel represents falling to temptation (more about that in a minute). This was foolish because this half-baked job fell apart. Wild tried to quickly make new bleachers. Handy was preaching, 'Haste makes waste' to Wild. Handy represents the 'wise builder' in this cartoon. This is like Jesus's parable on 'the wise and foolish builders'.

Gargamel got frustrated and was tempted by 'The Fleet Feet Of Mercury' and fell to the temptation of this shortcut. This is why Gargamel symbolizes falling to temptation. Have you tried to go really fast at something and 'wing it'? This gave him nothing but woe because he kept losing his wings at the most inopportune times.

A little ways back, I asked you if Gargamel is at all right. Well, here's the answer to this question. At first, even though failure happened continually for him, Gargamel actually was doing something correctly (even though his goals were evil). In other words, Gargamel set a goal and tried in his villainous way to methodically catch Smurfs. Gargamel trained at his hovel at first to gain his goal of getting fast enough to catch Smurfs. Then he built a well-crafted Smurf catcher (very innovative and smart I thought). Gargamel then went unfortunately to 'The Fleet Feet Of Mercury' (a very flaw-filled shortcut). Eventually, Wild learned his lesson like we should learn from Jesus's teaching while He was on earth. Do you think Gargamel learned his? I doubt it.

What have we learned from this study? Through this entire lesson, God wants us to learn wisdom, which is what Jesus used in his teaching of the parable and when he was tempted. When we use God's wisdom in our lives to combat the devil's temptations, we will never lose. We will only win because God is in control. How should we handle the temptations in our lives?