The Gospel According to Zootopia

I recently saw Zootopia and absolutely loved it!  I loved it so much that the Shakira song, "Try Everything" is now my ringtone.  The movie has gotten a lot of flack because of the supposed underlying message of the liberal bent in our country.  Ok, I'm about as conservative as they come, but people, please.  Can we not look at every movie for some political agenda that will warp our children and turn them into raging entitlelists?  Granted, Hollywood is saturated with left-wing thinking, but I prefer to look at movies - especially animated ones - through the eyes of the gospel.  Our country is divided enough these days.

The story begins with Judy Hopps, a vivacious, energetic bunny with big dreams, wanting to leave the comfort of her family's carrot farm to pursue a life as a law enforcement officer in the land of Zootopia.  Zootopia is that big city for animals - the Los Angeles or New York City for creatures - where dreams come true.  Although her parents hate to see her go (even though they have a passel of her siblings still remaining), she heads to Zootopia and does indeed become a law enforcement officer.  I'll save ruining the plot, but Judy comes into her own through a complex situation between Mayor Lionheart and his assistant mayor Bellwether, a lamb.  

In a world where chaos seems to be happening all around us, this little flick truly waves the flag of "All Lives Matter."  From Judy Hopps to the Mayoral Lion, everyone was important.  Nobody cared if Judy was a tiny rabbit, she was a great policewoman!  And her life had a plan.  There may be no better verse in Scripture that screams "All Lives Matter" than John 3:16..."For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that WHOSOEVER (emphasis mine) believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life."  God loved ALL lives so much, He gave His only Son for us.  

I applaud Disney on many fronts.  Yes, they are a secular company so they aren't weaving Christian themes in every movie, but they are hitting home runs with their recent movie messaging.  Inside Out...a child struggles with a major move and life change and we see her real emotions, realizing that Joy and Sadness go hand in hand.  Finding Dory....a fish with a short-term memory can still make a difference, displaying that a child with special needs is still very valuable.  And, now Zootopia, where a small bunny never gives up on her dream and makes a big difference in the world of Zootopia, meaning every life matters. 

In this movie, all animals co-habitate with each other, even those that would normally eat each other in the real world.  One day we will live in a new world where the lion will lay down with the lamb, and it will not only be Zootopia, but it will be Paradise, with Jesus in complete control as we live in this New Earth.  Until then, let's all remember all lives matter....because they matter to God.