The story of Babe was set in a farm where there were pre-defined roles for each animal. Seemingly, the animals knew their individual place in the farm and tried to do their own job well in order to please their owners. Though living in close proximity, the animals were behaving like separate and independent entities with respect to one another. Then along came a pig, named Babe, with an unprejudiced heart that regarded all other animals at face value and treated the sheep and all other animals as equals. He quickly learnt that each animal had a role to play except for himself and Ferdinand the duck who were both fated to be lunch. Both began to take on new roles to escape their fate. Gradually, all the animals grew to accept Babe, crumbling psychological barriers within the farm that had stood for years. Such pro-active and unbiased attitudes inevitably changed their lives and he finally became a world champion “sheepdog” in the process.
In Romans 12:3-21, we can see similar themes of unity in diversity and love for one another. Paul compared the members of the church as the body of Christ, each having different functions according to the gifts given by the gracious God. He urged each member to do their own function well in order to build up the body of Christ. In verse 3, the members were taught not to be arrogant because all of them have a certain part to play in the body. The wonderful ending of Babe allows us to imagine a positive kind of synergy and dynamism if there is true unity within the church. Like the farm, true unity occurs when everyone is willing to step out of their individual boundary and help one another to better fulfill their roles as a cohesive single entity, rather than separate ones.
Later in the passage, Paul also instructed on the genuine love for one another. Surely, he considered that as an essential component in developing true unity within the church. Similarly, the movie demonstrated that loving someone was about giving and forgiving without condition. Ultimately, the animals changed their perception and attitudes towards Babe for the better because they could feel his genuine love for them. Therefore, if we want to see true unity within our church, perhaps all of us should examine ourselves and rekindle our genuine love for one another.
(End)
