I ran with this theme when I put on The Magician's Nephew as a Ballet last year. Lewis wrote in a letter in 1951:
"Put first things first and we get both first and second things thrown in; put second things first and we lose both first and second things." - C. S. Lewis
A few years later, in 1955, his book The Magician's Nephew would illustrate this point exactly when Digory is forced to make a decision between following the will of the great lion Aslan and the temptation of bringing the apple of immortal life to his dying mother.
"Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well." - Matthew 6:33
FIRST things FIRST.
Helping my Mom get better, if she was sick and if it was possible to do so, would be high on my list of priorities. But Digory is forced to live Luke 14:26, "hating" his mother for the sake of Aslan. And this is why:
Helping my Mom get better, if she was sick and if it was possible to do so, would be high on my list of priorities. But Digory is forced to live Luke 14:26, "hating" his mother for the sake of Aslan. And this is why:
"And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life.” - Luke 18:29-30
Because God KNOWS the best for us and WANTS the best for us.
"And the Witch tempted you to do another thing, my son, did she not?”
“Yes, Aslan. She wanted me to take an apple home to Mother.”
“Understand, then, that it would have healed her; but not to your joy or hers. The day would have come when both you and she would have looked back and said it would have been better to die in that illness.”
And Digory could say nothing, for tears choked him and he gave up all hopes of saving his Mother’s life; but at the same time he knew that the Lion knew what would have happened, and that there might be things more terrible even than losing someone you love by death. But now Aslan was speaking again, almost in a whisper:
“That is what would have happened, child, with a stolen apple. It is not what will happen now. What I give you now will bring joy. It will not, in your world, give endless life, but it will heal. Go. Pluck her an apple from the Tree.”
For a second Digory could hardly understand. It was as if the whole world had turned inside out and upside down. And then, like someone in a dream, he was walking across to the Tree, and the King and Queen were cheering him and all the creatures were cheering too. He plucked the apple and put it in his pocket. Then he came back to Aslan.
“Please,” he said, “may we go home now?” He had forgotten to say “Thank you,” but he meant it, and Aslan understood.
It would not have brought life.
BUT.
But, why didn't Aslan just make the apple work so that it would heal Digory's mother properly? Why?
Do you already know?
Because this wasn't about healing Digory's mother. It was about healing Digory.
Digory is the one who experienced a change of heart. One that he will pass on from generation to generation by putting first things first and not letting important things get in the way of THE important thing.
Aslan.
BUT.
But, why didn't Aslan just make the apple work so that it would heal Digory's mother properly? Why?
Do you already know?
Because this wasn't about healing Digory's mother. It was about healing Digory.
Digory is the one who experienced a change of heart. One that he will pass on from generation to generation by putting first things first and not letting important things get in the way of THE important thing.
Aslan.