Category: Entertainment/Movie Reviews

3 Lessons We Can Learn From the Life of Chadwick Boseman

I’ve always loved Chadwick as an actor, but I will be honest. I did not know how awesome he was as a whole person until after he passed away. I began watching several videos of him online and each one ministered something awesome to my spirit. I share below 3 lessons I’ve noted from him that are like a confirmation to me as a woman of God on my journey of life:

Be willing to take a loss for your convictions trusting that God has something better:
Chadwick told an amazing story of his first television job on a soap opera. He was to play a young Black male with no historical background, who lived out a life of victim-hood making poor choices. He felt the role was stereotypical of African American males. He discussed this with his bosses on that show, who ultimately made the choice to fire him. Chadwick took a loss.

That job agreed to pay him the most money he’d ever seen in his life. After being fired, he was thrust back into the world of auditioning, being broke, scraping up change to get to auditions. He was told by his agent he would not get a job in some time because he was seen as difficult. He could only question if he made the right decision. Of course, he did. How many of us have taken a loss for holding strong to our convictions and values?

Continue to follow your convictions given by God; it will set you up for the very best that God has for you. God ordained Chadwick to play some of the very best roles that showed our people in such an honorable light. This was a part of his purpose to give African-Americans and all people hope and he did that well.

Obey God Quickly; You Never Know What Impact It May Have:
On an interview I listened to of Chadwick, he shared that he was on tour outside of the U.S.―finishing up promotions for the Get On Up film when he heard God speak to him in his spirit. God said, “Get international calling on your phone.” Immediately, Chadwick did so. Not long after that, he received a call where he was asked to play the role of Black Panther in the new Avengers film.

Had he not obeyed God, he could have missed out on the opportunity. God has a way of leading and guiding us. The Bible says that the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord. Many times, we limit God speaking to us to only spiritual things, but God is involved in every area of our lives.

No Dream is too Big for your Faith
I’ve been reading in the book of Matthew where Jesus has been healing people according to their faith. In life, we experience things that kind of shock our faith. Mainly disappointment. Perhaps we prayed for someone to be healed and they died or we did not get an opportunity we were believing for. Perhaps God had something bigger in mind. Perhaps our loved one who died needed to experience being in heaven with God. Perhaps the opportunity we wanted was too small for us. Chadwick wrote in his journal years ago before making it big as an actor that he’d like to play the Black Panther in a film. Perhaps that dream was from God because it happened. It’s easy to dismiss a dream in disappointment when we feel it is too big, but all we need is a small grain of mustard seed faith. Hold on to whatever smidget of faith you have—no matter how foolish it may look. Perhaps the Lord wants to use you as an example to bring it to pass.

Thank you, Chadwick! We will continue to love and miss you.

See a few videos below where some of the above are mentioned:

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Just Mercy:

I went into watching Just Mercy expecting the setting of the film to be during the 1960s, but I was surprised to find out that the leading story of attorney Bryan Stevenson assisting an innocent man, Walter McMillan, in escaping death row played out in real life during the late 1980s and early 1990s. I searched my memory banks and could not remember hearing of his story at all.
Bryan Stevenson is the real-life author and attorney who dedicated his life toward freeing inmates wrongfully convicted on death row, and other serious issues related to ending mass incarceration and working toward stopping the placement of children as young as 13 and 14 in the adult population and on death row.

Just Mercy shows a young Bryan, played by Michael B. Jordan, who has graduated from Harvard and dedicated his life to serving the poor and incarcerated, at no cost through his Equal Justice Imitative. The film follows three men who are in cells near each other. Each with a sentence to die on death row.

For every nine people executed on death-row; there is at least one person found exonerated.   Bryan has some very strong convictions regarding justice and mercy.  He shares that the opposite of poverty is justice and the opposite of hopelessness is justice. He reminds me of Dr. King with statements such as:

“All men possess a right to dignity no matter what they have done.”
“A thief is not just a thief, a liar, not just a liar, or a murderer, just a murderer.”

He takes the idea of justice seriously not just fighting for Blacks to be free, but all men. He, however, recognizes the clear and unjust treatment of many African Americans as depicted in the film. The evidence against Mr. Walter was clearly fabricated. You will have to watch the film to see the blatant injustice and the stirring call to justice that Bryan’s character, Michael portrays. The film ends with Michael giving a brief speech sharing how everyone needs justice, grace, and mercy.

Jamie Foxx, in an interview, shared wise words that his grandmother told him in an interview about the film. His grandmother’s lesson was that a Black man can never make the same mistake as a White man. He was taught this at a young age to avoid having the idea that if he did make a mistake, he’d receive the same sentence as a White man.

The history of criminal justice in this country clearly shows that there is a problem and that Jamie’s grandmother was correct. Hopefully, this film can tug the heartstrings of those in power to make changes that will treat all people with justice and dignity as Stevenson calls for.

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The Movie 12 Bridge’s Correlation w/American Culture & Why You Should See It:

Last week I saw a pre-screening for the new film 12 Bridges. I would give the film 5 out of 5 stars. We’ve been having some really good films lately that mirror the climate of American culture as it relates to how civilians view police officers. For example, Black & Blue looked at the idea of a Black police officer having to choose between her people, her morals, and members of her police department.

I’m not going to give away 12 Bridges because that would be unethical, but I will share some of my thoughts on it. It is a very suspenseful and unpredictable film that will have the viewers on the edge of their seats with every twist of the plot.
I love how the movie opened up with the reading of the below scripture:

For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. – Romans 13:4 (NIV)

When and how is this scripture applicable? Does the scripture mean that everything that everyone does in authority is correct? Does the scripture mean that God is in agreement with all that those in authority do?

Those questions have been raised in today’s American culture as it relates to many of the headlines we’ve seen regarding deaths of innocent Black civilians by police officers. The film is about far more than what we’ve seen in our headlines, but it provides a mirror on how we should respond to corruption in leadership? Should we turn a blind eye or should we hold accountable those in authority?

The film shows a very handsome, educated, heart-felt and well-meaning Black man played as the leading role by Chadwick Boseman. His character holds a strong conviction to get to the bottom of what’s going on in New York City by shutting down 21 bridges in order to solve a crime that resulted in the death of 7 police officers.

I also feel that Chadwick’s role mirrors African-American culture that shows over and over again how Afro-Americans who held strong convictions, often inspired by a relationship with God, have held America to a high standard as it relates to the morale of this country. Chadwick’s character does that very well. He is one who the film show’s in the beginning as very acquainted with injustice, hardship, and loss. Thus, he carries that strong conviction with him throughout his career. He, in essence, became the perfect person for the job through his experiences coming up.

You’ll have to watch the film when it comes out on November 22nd to know in full what I am talking about. Then you can come back and read this article again and say awe to yourself. What do you think the above scriptures mean? What would be your answer to the questions above? Comment below:

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