I recently watched “300: Rise of an Empire” and although not really impressed with the movie as a whole and how Hollywood has distorted history and also added a completely fabricated and unnecessary sexual scene to this movie, I thought it had some deeper recovery-related gems. For those that don’t know much about this movie (and I don’t expect those early in their recovery to watch the entire movie) here is a summary from Wikipedia:
Based on Frank Miller’s latest graphic novel Xerxes, and told in the breathtaking visual style of the blockbuster “300,” this new chapter of the epic saga takes the action to a fresh battlefield-on the sea-as Greek general Themistokles attempts to unite all of Greece by leading the charge that will change the course of the war. This film pits Themistokles against the massive invading Persian forces led by mortal-turned-god Xerxes, and Artemesia, vengeful commander of the Persian navy.
Nevertheless, in watching this movie, I did pick up on the recovery-related themes. Maybe it was me trying to find some sort of redemptive quality in a poorly made movie, or maybe it was the Holy Spirit saying to me, “use this material, men will ‘listen’ when you speak to them through these films.” I don’t know which one it was, but I’m hoping it was the latter. The subtheme I saw in this movie is similar to the one found in my United We Stand video based off the Battle of Carthage in Gladiator. In 300: Rise of an Empire, the leader of the Greek forces, Themistokles, rallies his troops by encouraging them to fight for one another; to fight for your brother. This resonates with me in recovery in that not only do I fight this battle for sexual purity every day, but I also fight alongside, with, and for my brothers in recovery. The bond we have formed is stronger than any other bond I have found in my life, apart from my bond with God and with my wife. These men in recovery know me better than my own family of origin and they fight for me, as I fight for them. I titled this movie, Iron Sharpens Iron based off Proverbs 27:17 where we are told, as brothers, to sharpen one another, prepare one another for battle, support one another, and fight for one another.