Fireproof

Posted by Admin

Direction:  Alex Kendrick

Genre: Christian

Year of Release: 2008

“ Fireproof doesn’t mean that fire wouldn’t come. It means that when it does, you’d be able to withstand it.”

Caleb Holt (Kirk Cameron) is a dedicated fire department captain who finds himself at the crossroads when his wife, Catherine (Erin Bethea) told him that she wants a divorce. Over the years, their relationship has slowly deteriorated and both of them just want an easy way out.

Incredulous and with nowhere to run, Caleb finds himself calling his father for counsel and his road to transformation begins. As his father gently urges him to turn his focus on Jesus as he attempts to revamp his marriage, Caleb remains indignant and insists that he is not the problem – Catherine is. Then his father challenged him to a “Love Dare” where for the next 40 days, Caleb ought to do extraordinary measures to save his marriage.

This movie tackles many issues on married life – respecting your spouse, choosing to stay committed to each other despite various trials, the importance of communication and most importantly, having Christ at the center of your marriage. Revolving around a beautifully developed plot and well-executed portrayals, these pressing issues were clearly depicted in the storyline through the dialogues, as well as the musical score.

Respecting one’s spouse entails a great deal of patience and perseverance. In one of the scenes, Caleb was seen shouting hurtful words to his wife out of exasperation, demanding for respect. In any relationship, when hate is spoken through offensive language, James 1:19 serves as a reminder of how important self-control is when anger gets the best of us.

Tired of exerting efforts to win back his wife without seeing any trace of appreciation, Caleb finds himself ranting to his father : “How am I supposed to show love to somebody over and over when she constantly rejects me?” Then his father points him to the cross and says : “God loves you even though you don’t deserve Him, reject Him, spat on His face.” What an astounding illustration of a simple yet profound truth! And from there onwards, Caleb humbly realizes that His love has the power to change him to become a better man than he is. Once he understood the kind of love that God has for him, then he found himself filled with the same kind of love, overflowing and surreal, that he is eager to share it with his wife. He was never, ever the same again.

This movie is an excellent reminder of how the Lord’s love can transform us and mold us to become more Christ-like. As we face different challenges in our relationships, be it with a spouse, a parent, a friend or a colleague, it is important to remember how He loved us and how we are all called to love others in the same manner when we accepted him. Love is not just a warm, fuzzy feeling; it is a commitment, a decision to put the needs of others before your own no matter how challenging it may be, no matter how much sacrifice it entails. Love keeps you from walking away from someone when everything is not going right and you are compelled to try everything to make it work, just as Jesus never left us while we continue to sin and hurt Him.

Never leave your partner behind.

---