I'm altering the deal - pray I don't alter it any further

Fair warning - today's blog will contain both Star Wars and Marvel references, so... y'know. Nerd alert.

In some classic scenes from Star Wars, Lando Calrissian betrays his friend Han Solo to the arch-villain Darth Vader, in return for Darth Vader leaving his city alone. 

After Lando hands over Han Solo, Darth Vader informs Lando of some additional conditions - Han Solo will be surrendered to a bounty hunter, and Lando must keep Han Solo's companions, Princess Leia and Chewbacca, under indefinite house arrest. When Lando pipes up that this was never part of the deal, Darth Vader threateningly asks Lando if he thinks he is being unfairly dealt with. Lando backs down, but grumbles to himself that "this deal is getting worse all the time". 

Shortly thereafter, Darth Vader changes the deal again - this time he tells Lando that he must surrender Princess Leia and Chewbacca to Darth Vader's custody. When Lando objects, Darth Vader ominously rumbles - "I'm altering the deal. Pray, I don't alter it any further."

A friend recently sent me a funny parody meme of these scenes, in which Darth Vader keeps piling on additional conditions on Lando. 

Vader: Furthermore I wish you to wear this dress and bonnet!

Lando: This was never a condition of our deal!

Vader: I am altering the deal. Pray, I don't alter it any further. [closes door]

Lando: Man, this deal is getting worse all the time!

Vader: [opens door] And here is a unicycle, you will ride it wherever you go!

Lando: I'm not riding no unicycle!

Vader: I am altering the deal. Pray, I don't alter it any further. [closes door]

Lando: THIS DEAL IS GETTING WORSE ALL THE TIME!

Vader: [opens door] Also, you are to wear these clown shoes and refer to yourself as Merry!

Lando: !!!!! [eventually gives up and accepts Vader's conditions]

As my friend said, it reminds me of how the world often seems to work. Compromise is unavoidable. The real question is, *what* are we prepared to compromise on? Once we compromise on a key issue, we find that the dominos start to fall. One compromise after another follows, each more outlandish than the last, and yet we unhappily accept each fresh demand.

Often, we are our own Darth Vader. We overstretch to buy a house or car or some other expensive luxury. Or we let greed or ambition keep us running on that hamster wheel, believing that we'll get there soon. Or we are in some unhealthy relationship, and we refuse to let go, thinking it'll soon work out. But in reality, we end up compromising one thing after another, time after time after time, just so that we can keep up with our expenses or pride or fear. 

Lando shows us how compromise can lead to bad deals!

So if not Lando, who can we imitate?

In the 2016 Marvel movie "Civil War", Captain America is faced with a quandary. In short, he can either compromise and accept the terms of an accord which he disagrees with, or he can be exiled. He attends the funeral of an old friend, and at the funeral, the eulogist remembers the friend's philosophy. What follows is an amalgam of the movie quote, plus the quote from the original comic, which is even better.

"Compromise where you can. *Where you can't, don't*. 

Doesn't matter what the press says. Doesn't matter what the politicians or the mobs say. Doesn't matter if the whole country decides that something wrong is something right...

When the mob and the press and the whole world tell you to move, your job is to plant yourself like a tree beside the river of truth, and tell the whole world - "No, YOU move."

For full attributability, I understand that this quote in turn was based on something Mark Twain wrote.

Friends and colleagues may tell us - it's fine. The world may tell us - go for it. Our own deceiving hearts may tell us - what's wrong with that? Just shuffle a little to the side, what's the harm? You'll get what you want, and the world will keep on spinning.

As Captain America says - our job is to plant ourselves like a tree beside the river of truth, and say "No, YOU move."

One final media anecdote.

The Emmy-winning TNT basketball sports show host Ernie Johnson (who happens to be a Christian) recently suffered the bereavement of his son Michael Johnson. Ernie and his wife Cheryl have six children - two biological, and four adopted. Michael Johnson was adopted when Cheryl went to a Romanian orphanage in the 90s. Michael couldn't walk or talk, and clearly had some disability. The orphanage director said to Cheryl "Don't take this boy. He's no good".

Cheryl called Ernie, and said - I don't know how we're going to take care of this boy, and it's way beyond us, but I know that I'll always wonder what happened to this little boy if I don't come home with him. So Ernie and Cheryl adopted that boy, who was later diagnosed with muscular dystrophy.

Ernie and Cheryl were such supportive parents that Michael Johnson ended up being a huge blessing to his teachers and friends at school. And Ernie's exhortation at his son's funeral was - there's value in everyone. See that in those around you. See that in yourself. 

Ernie and Cheryl Johnson didn't believe the orphanage director, everyone else around them, and even their own hearts, which must have whispered, "this boy's no good". They said to the rest of the world, and to themselves - "No, YOU move."

The Youtube links to the scenes I've mentioned are below: 

This Deal's Getting Worse All The Time | Robot Chicken | Adult Swim - YouTube

No You Move: Captain America Speech - YouTube

"There's Value In Everybody" | Remembering Michael Johnson | NBA on TNT - YouTube

I recommend watching all these scenes. As you might expect, the Emmy-winning Ernie Johnson's eulogy is a lot better than my dinky blog. So watch them all, but watch the last video especially.

Have a wonderful weekend, God bless you and remember, you don't want to be Lando, but you don't have to be Captain America either. You just have to be like Ernie :)

Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked

Or stand in the way that sinners take

Or sit in the company of mockers

But whose delight is in the law of the LORD,

And who meditates on his law day and night.

That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,

Which yields its fruit in season

And whose leaf does not wither - whatever they do prospers

Psalm 1:1-3

Comments

Jasonlai said…
Well said my friend! Good read as usual🙂👍
20 November 2021 at 16:56
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