Winning by Losing

In the 1971 film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, a boy named Charlie and four other children found golden tickets which promised them a lifetime supply of chocolate.  Shortly after their find they individually were accosted by Albert Slugworth, owner of a rival chocolate business, who offered a great sum of money to the one who gave him an "everlasting gobstopper" so he could discover the secret formula.  During the tour of Wonka's factory, the four remaining children were offered everlasting gobstoppers--on the strict condition they kept the gobstopper to themselves--to which they all enthusiastically agreed.

As the tour progressed the children where whittled down to Charlie alone as they all disobeyed the warnings of Wonka which led to bizarre problems, like falling into a chocolate river, swelling up like a blueberry, tumbling down a chute, or shrinking to the size of an action figure.  Charlie and his grandpa were the only ones that managed to make it to the end, though they too had their share of problems.  They decided to try "fizzy lifting drinks" which violated the contract Charlie signed before the tour began.  The promise of a lifetime supply of chocolate was thus forfeited, and Wonka spared no fury in rebuking them for their transgression.

Grandpa was furious with Wonka, called him a crook and promised he would get back at him somehow.  Charlie, moved by a guilty conscience, returned the everlasting gobstopper.  When the candy was placed next to Wonka, it was like time stopped.  Moved by this good deed to refuse to sell Wonka's secrets for money to Slugworth, Wonka's demeanor changed completely.  The elaborate tour had all been a test Wonka had been hoping Charlie would win.  Though Charlie failed to keep to the contract he signed, he won.  His theft of fizzy lifting drinks was forgiven and he was swept up in a friendly embrace of the chocolate maker who finally found a child with the necessary quality of character to someday take over the company.

Charlie's interaction with Willy Wonka suggests by a good deed people can redeem themselves.  While this makes for a happy finish to the film, it misses the mark entirely concerning being accepted by God.  Like Charlie and his grandpa, we have all broken the Law of God and thus are sinners doomed by a curse that brings eternal death.  We are truly lost without hope.  No amount of good deeds can undo or make up for one sin we have committed.  Yet because of Who Jesus is and all He has accomplished by providing atonement for sinners, the way of forgiveness and salvation has been provided for us as a free gift.  Jesus has overcome sin and death, and by faith in Him we are accepted in the beloved for something far better than a lifetime supply of chocolate:  adoption into the family of God, made co-heirs with Christ and  will enjoy eternal life in God's glorious presence.  The only way we win eternal life is to lose our lives for Christ's sake.

Like Willy Wonka wanted Charlie to win and rejoiced in his success, God desires for all people to live in His presence and enjoy communion with Him forever.  Had Charlie kept the everlasting gobstopper for himself, I have no doubt he would have grown tired of the flavour and even the smell of it over time.  Praise the LORD salvation is a gift we will never tire of as we enjoy fellowship with God for eternity.  Titus 3:4-7 says, "But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, ⁵ not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, ⁶ whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, ⁷ that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life."  Having received such love, grace and acceptance by God, we are assured a glorious future with our Father we can rejoice in presently--and can offer to others through the power of the Gospel.