Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

One of my favorite movies is "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory"...maybe it's because I have good memories of watching it 5 times with my nephews.

I watched it again last night. One of the best aspects of the movies is the unabashed innocence and purity of heart that Charlie possesses, mostly likely because his family has nothing. He almost forgoes the invitation to Willy Wonka's factory because someone offered him $500 for the golden ticket. Throughout the entire movie, he is so grateful for even the smallest things...especially the chocolate bar he receives as a birthday present once a year.

In a discussion with a friend of mine several months back, we talked about the hearts of indigent people and how they are open to hearing the message of Jesus Christ. The hearts of those who have nothing are oftentimes the most open to hearing about salvation.

This can be seen a lot in the work of missionaries. I have a heart for it because so many people know that there is something far greater than themselves without ever being told about God or His Beloved Son. In the United States, we are so blessed to have what we have (we rarely recognize it) and we sometimes become complacent about the message of Jesus Christ. I myself am guilty of this tragedy. So how to we open ourselves back up again to the realization that we would be nothing without Jesus???