What I Learned about Faith from The Rescuers
With the stress and anxiety of the global COVID-19 pandemic right now, we’re all on the lookout for hope and encouragement, so I’m please to share with you this beautiful guest post by Michelle Nebel of Words to Spare. You may think it’s just an old Disney movie, but let’s join Michelle to discover what she learned about FAITH from The Rescuers! Enjoy!
When I was a kid, I loved watching Disney movies. I vividly remember sitting in a dark theater with my mom, sharing a bucket of popcorn, and feeling immersed under the sea as the opening credits of The Little Mermaid unfolded before my eyes.
Back then, I never could have conceived of the wonder that is Disney+. Every movie? Ever? Even the ones locked away in the famed Disney Vault? All ripe for the watching? And yet, that’s the world my own kids are living in – one where they can see every bit of Disney magic at the touch of a button.
It might seem unlikely, but over the years I’ve found quite a few moments of spiritual inspiration hidden in the animated classics from the House of Mouse. (And I’m not the only one – Jessica Meades contributed her thoughts on the spiritual lessons in Disney’s Meet the Robinsons right here on Scattered Woman.)
Not long ago, I sat down with my girls to watch The Rescuers with my daughters, and as always, the story hit me hard.
Small but Mighty
You remember The Rescuers, right? Bernard and Bianca, members of the all-mouse Rescue Aid Society, are entrusted with a mission to save Penny, a little girl who’s been kidnapped from her orphanage by Madame Medusa. Human law enforcement has failed to locate the child, but the mice — and a ragtag group of helpful animal friends— manage to find her in Devil’s Bayou. Not only is Penny saved, but so is a priceless diamond.
Or you might prefer the synopsis of my then-three-year old: “Beyond and Bre-anca are the nicest, brave mice. And Medusa is so MEAN to Penny and takes away her teddy bear! And also she wants diamonds. And Beyond and Bre-anca save Penny and…. (happy sigh) there is LOVE because Beyond loves Miss Bre-anca and her beautiful PERFUME.” 😂
When Hearts Break
There’s a lot of heartbreak in the opening of this tale. A lonely orphaned child, kidnapping, child endangerment… But then, Rufus (the elderly cat) tells Penny about faith.
“Faith is a bluebird you see from afar… You can’t touch it or buy it… but it’s there just the same.”
Penny needs faith when she drops her message in a bottle out into the waves. She has no idea that two tiny, faraway helpers will read it and hurry on their way to her, but she has to have hope.
There’s plenty of heartbreak in the real world, too. And so, thank God for faith! Faith is such a big part of the solution when we feel overwhelmed by the darkness and pain in the world.
Hard Work, Heart Work
But the other part of that solution is action, isn’t it? And The Rescuers show us just that. These tiny characters, Bernard and Bianca, work hard to set things right. They are so small, so seemingly insignificant; who would expect that a pair of mice could save this situation? They bustle about, doing all they can, gathering help from friends, and never giving up.
We may feel small and insignificant when we confront big heartbreak, disappointment, setbacks, or losses, but each of us really can make an impact when we fight for what’s right.
What I Learned about Faith from The Rescuers
I know the animators and storytellers over at Disney probably didn’t intend to send this message, but I see two themes from the book of James in this film:
First, our faith demands our works.
James 2:14-17 proclaims, “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” (ESV)
Just like Bernard and Bianca, we must have faith: hoping and believing that all can be rescued, whether we face injustice or heartbreak, disappointment or defeat. And then, we must take action: doing all we can, for whomever we can, by whatever means we can.
We must take action: doing all we can, for whomever we can, by whatever means we can. ~ Michelle Nebel Share on XWe talk about faith through action a lot here on Scattered Woman! Click below to see how you can put your faith into action in different areas of your life:
A Lesson in Faith: Planning a Wedding with No Groom in Sight
Second, we are called to be Real World Rescuers.
The second theme I see is that our heroes served the forgotten and lonely – a sweet orphan girl. The real world may not be full of alligator-owning, bayou-dwelling villains, but it is full of orphans and widows who are often lonely and forgotten.
“Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.”
~ James 1:27 (ESV) ~
We may not all be called to adoption or foster care, but we can all find ways to love and serve the widowed and orphaned in our communities and around the world.
Our family has been blessed to take part in a number of adoption fundraisers; we’ve been “prayer support” during others’ adoption processes; we’ve been able to give beds, clothes, or gift cards when friends began fostering.
We’ve gotten to know a couple of widows, and though we haven’t done much, we are doing our best to be good neighbors and will try to meet their needs when we become aware – but we can’t serve if we don’t know them, so that’s where we can start.
May God bless all the real-life Rescuers in our world, loving and investing in the lives of precious, vulnerable people.
May God bless all the real-life Rescuers in our world, loving and investing in the lives of precious, vulnerable people. ~ Michelle Nebel Share on X
Take Heart
I don’t know what darkness, sadness, or discomfort you’re facing right now – what you wish you could be rescued from. But I do know that God loves you, and He sent a Rescuer for you long ago.
Take heart, mama.
And take a cue from two tiny mice. Can you lean into faith? Can you take action in service to others? Consider that in taking a lesson from The Rescuers, you may discover a solution to a real-world problem.
Michelle Nebel is a writer of uplifting women’s fiction woven with threads of faith, grace, and Southern hospitality. She lives in Kentucky with three kids, three dogs, her college sweetheart husband, and a modest collection of Disney World Trading Pins and Minnie Ears. While freelancing for a marriage ministry, she blogs at Words to Spare about family, faith, and things that make her laugh. You can also find her on Instagram or Twitter. 
Interested in writing for Scattered Woman? We’re always looking for other mamas to collaborate with us! If you have guest post ideas about healing health, finding faith, restoring relationships, or crafting careers, please email laura{at}scatteredwoman{dot}com. We’re excited to work with you!
