Joshua

A friend recently recommended this movie to me so we went to Blockbuster and rented it a few nights ago. Within ten minutes after the movie was over, I had gone online and bought it. This movie really was great.

Joshua was initially a novel written by Joseph Girzone. It is a story which projects what it might be like if Jesus were to have come into the world today instead of 2000 years ago. (The name "Joshua" is Hebrew and is translated "Jesus" in Greek.) The story shows how Joshua affects the small town where he comes. He is a simple wood worker who shows love to everybody. He raises the ire of the priest of the local church in the same way Jesus did with religious leaders 2000 years ago.

The movie is funny at times -- like the scene when Joshua is trying to open a CD and becomes obviously frustrated with it, showing that even God can't easily open one of those things. There is another scene where the priests asks him what he thought of the sermon. Joshua replied that it was interesting. "In what way?" the priest persisted. Joshua answered, "I've never heard anybody describe the love of God in a way that would make people afraid of Him." Finally there is a great scene in the movie where Joshua reaches out and touches the priest's chest and the priest, feeling his love, begins to weep. It is a powerful, moving scene.

So if you're sitting around one evening, wishing there were something better to watch on TV, pick up this movie. If your local Blockbuster store doesn't carry it, believe me, it's worth buying. I got mine on amazon.com. I'd say it is one of the best Christian films I've seen. Until now, "The Hiding Place" has been my favorite, but this one gives it a close run.