Not one less

Every tuesday at 8:00pm, i head over to my friend Jeff's house for what is called "movie night". Jeff graduated from BYU in film and holds said movie nights to show things most of us have never seen. (nor ever would see) Afterward, we discuss the movie a little; our thoughts; his thoughts; insights he has about the movie that we didn't see, etc. While sometimes the movies are just for fun (Bill and Ted's excellent adventure) some (actually most) of them have a deeper meaning or message to them.

A couple weeks ago he showed a chinese movie called "Not one less". In short, it's a story about how much a teacher does to help a child get back to school, when he's forced to leave for work to help support his family.

I found a much deeper meaning.

This little boy is the most disruptive in the entire school. When he leaves, one might argue it was more of a blessing, because of all the problems he caused. But, for some reason, the teacher and the class, work to figure out a way to find him and bring him back.

As they work, the thought kept coming to mind, why does she care SO much about this one little boy? He was a trouble maker. And she had about 20+ other students still in class to take care of. Why did she leave them all, for him?

It made me think of the Savior.

In Luke 15:4 it says, "what man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doeth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?

Now this little girl, the teacher, sacrifices alot to find this little boy. She and her students, work in their village to earn enough money for a bus ticket to the city, but fail in their attempts. She ends up hitch hiking and walking alot of the way. She uses all the money she has to buy ink and paper to make flyers and stays up all night to make them. She stands outside the TV station, for a day and a half, and asks every man leaving if he is the station manager, so she can put out an ad to find the him. Basically, she never gives up.

Finally, they decide to film her but she won't say anything. In an attempt to get her to speak, they tell her to talk as if she were talking to the little boy. She looks at the camera and cries, "Where did you go?".

It made me think how the Savior has sacrificed so much for us, even when we are lost. He does everything he can to come find us. There's a shot where the little boy is just wandering around. He has no idea she's looking for him or how much she's sacrificed to find him. Just like sometimes we have no idea what the Savior has done for us or truly how much he cares when we are lost. How much he'll do to find us and bring us home.

Luke15:5-6

"and when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.

And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for i have found my sheep which was lost."

If ever you have the chance, and you don't mind subtitles, check this movie out, and always remember, how much the Savior loves us.