As I was driving to work a few mornings ago I heard a report on the news about the death of Roger Moore. Mr. Moore was 89 years old and is known all around the world as James Bond or simply as 007. I was sad to hear about the passing of one of my childhood and adulthood heroes. By the time I arrived at work I could feel the weight of the world on my shoulders as I realized that I would be alone to save the world from all the evil villains! I was relieved to know that Jaws, the guy with the metal teeth, had already been defeated by 007 so I would not have to fight him. Bond, James Bond was a fictional character from movies but maybe we can learn a few things from his life in Her Majesty’s Secret Service and generally saving the world from evil.
First of all, James Bond was ready for any situation and was never caught off-guard by his attacker. Maybe it was the army of assassins who tried to kill him while he was skiing in “The Spy Who Loved Me” or the beautiful woman who appeared to be in love but suddenly turned on him in every movie. He always seemed to know what was about to happen long before it actually happened. In Matthew 24:44 we are told, So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. Our Savior will return in an instant at a moment we do not expect, so we must be constantly ready and prepared to greet Him. We also already know our attacker and we have the weapon of prayer to defeat him.
The second quality we can learn from 007 is to be daring. Mr. Bond always decided on a course of action, acted immediately without hesitation, and adjusted his plan as the circumstances changed. However, he never regretted or doubted his original plan. We should also search for God’s plan for our lives, go about that plan with full commitment, and be willing to adjust as God directs us. But never regret or doubt the original course He had for you.
The third quality we can learn from James Bond is to always finish what you started. When 007 set his mind to a mission, saving the world from annihilation, or defeating an evil villain he always finished the job. He never worried about the lengths he would have to go to complete the job or the toll it would take on him personally. In 2nd Corinthians 8:11 Paul tells us, “Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it.” We are also here on a mission and each of us is expected to complete the mission regardless of the circumstances presented to us or the personal toll it takes from us.
Last, not least, but maybe the most important quality we can learn from Bond is to go when called and don’t worry about minor things. The James Bond movies are filled with scenes of 007 arriving to a fancy hotel and checking into a beautiful room with no luggage. Soon after arriving he would be in a fight for his life with an assassin sent to kill him. Of course, Bond would win the fight but would have several cuts on his face and his expensive suit would be bloody and torn. However, Bond would appear very soon in a new suit, clean from the brutal fight, with no sign of damage to his face. 007 did not worry about packing for his missions but relied on his survival skills, resourcefulness, and charm to get all he needed. After all, he is James Bond, 007! We are told in Matthew 6:34 to not worry about tomorrow because tomorrow will worry about itself and each day has enough trouble of it’s own. We do not have to rely on the magic of television because we have a Heavenly Father who promises to provide all we need and He proves himself to us daily.
"Maybe I am not too old to be a double-nought spy!" Jethro Bodine-Beverly Hillbillies
Chad
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