Actor Chris Pratt's Comments Equate The Price Paid For Freedom Is The Same As That Which Provides Grace: "Somebody Else's Blood"

Actor Chris Pratt recently gave a short speech at the MTV Movie Awards after he accepted the “Generation” honor. While some of his comments were rude humor, there were a few that were, at least from my estimation, deeper, if people would simply consider them. Among those was something that Pratt acknowledged without fully expounding on it and that is the same price that was paid to secure our freedom if the same price that was paid that sinful men might obtain grace.

The Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy and Jurassic Park star has always caught me a little befuddled as he seems different to me than a lot of actors in Hollywood. I'm not attempting to glorify him, but rather I want to expound on what he said in his “9 Rules from Chris Pratt.”

Here's the speech in video and text and then I'll comment.

Number one: breathe. If you don’t, you’ll suffocate.

Number two: You have a soul. Be careful with it.

Number three: Don’t be a turd. If you’re strong, be a protector and if you’re smart, be a humble influencer. Strength and intelligence can be weapons and do not wield them against the weak. That makes you a bully. Be bigger than that.

Number four: When giving a dog medicine, put the medicine in a little piece of hamburger and they won’t even know they’re eating medicine.

Number five: Doesn’t matter what it is, earn it. A good deed, reach out to someone in pain, be of service, it feels good and it’s good for your soul.

Number six: God is real. God loves you. God wants the best for you. Believe that. I do.

Number seven: If you have to poop at a party, but you’re embarrassed because you’re going to stink up the bathroom, just do what I do. Lock the door. Sit down, get all the pee out first. Okay? Then, when all the pee’s done, poop-flush-boom. You minimize the amount of time that the poop is touching the air because if you poop first, then it takes you longer to pee and you’re peeing on it, stirring it up and the poop particles create a cloud that goes out and then everyone at the party will know that you pooped. Just trust me, it’s science.

Number eight: Learn to pray. It’s easy and it’s so good for your soul.

Number nine: Nobody is perfect. People are going to tell you you’re perfect just the way you are; you’re not! You are imperfect. You always will be, but there’s a powerful force that designed you that way. And if you’re willing to accept that you will have grace and grace is a gift. Like the freedom we enjoy in this country that grace was paid for with somebody else’s blood. Do not forget it. Don’t take it for granted.

God bless you. Please get home safely.

OK, I supposed number seven was an attempt at humor, but was uncalled for. However, let's take a few that were serious like numbers 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, and 9.

You have a soul. Be careful with it.

Absolutely. Too often, and I can attest to this as a man, we fail to guard our hearts and thus, end up succumbing to various temptations in life and ultimately sinning against God.

The Bible warns us:

Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. -Proverbs 4:23

Understand that I am contemplating a lot of this in my own life right now and so I'm not trying to direct it at others. The trappings of sin in this life occur when we fail to do this one thing, guard our hearts.

Jesus asked:

For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? -Mark 8:36

Well, we gain the world, right? But then we die, and we stand before the true, just judge of all men. Then what? Will we have lost our souls? Will we have anything that we take into eternity at all? Or will it be vaporized in the consuming fire of God's justice?

Don’t be a turd. If you’re strong, be a protector and if you’re smart, be a humble influencer. Strength and intelligence can be weapons and do not wield them against the weak. That makes you a bully. Be bigger than that.

Granted, Pratt used terminology that is not helpful at the beginning, but I realize that even disciples like Peter had crude language, not that it makes it right. However, let's get to what he was contrasting.

Pratt encouraged the younger generation not to be a piece of waste, plain and simple and by saying that, he was also encouraging them not to waste their lives. rather what he did was encourage them to see what God had gifted them with and use it for good: If you're strong, be a protector and if you are smart, humbly influence those around you (presumably for good).

He's exactly right in that we should not use gifts God has given us to lord it over others, but rather the exhort and encourage.

Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. -Romans 12:14-21

Doesn’t matter what it is, earn it. A good deed, reach out to someone in pain, be of service, it feels good and it’s good for your soul.

Exactly. The Bible teaches charity, but does not teach welfare. For instance, Jesus taught us about caring for and loving our neighbor in the story of the Good Samaritan. By the way, it's a great parable to tell the Socialists and Communists in this country pushing government healthcare and quoting the Bible out of context.

On top of that, whatever you obtain, should be from the work of your own hands.

The Bible exhorts women:

Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates. -Proverbs 31:31

It encourages full time work:

Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. -Exodus 20:8-11

...if any would not work, neither should he eat. -2 Thessalonians 3:10

Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest. -Eccleasiastes 9:10
And caring for the elderly in our families is not the job of the state, but our responsibility.

But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel. -1 Timothy 5:8

God is real. God loves you. God wants the best for you. Believe that. I do.

Of course, God is real. Everyone knows this, they just seek to suppress the truth in unrighteousness and not honor Him as God (Romans 1:19-21).

God has commanded what is not only best for us, but what glorifies Him. God does indeed love His people. He sent His own Son to demonstrate that love for them (Romans 5:8).

Yet, he also hates those who are wicked and He is angry with them every day (Psalm 7:10-12).

He has called sinners to repentance, not indulgence (Luke 5:32).

If we think God loves us and yet we continue to act as His enemy, we are only deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us (1 John 4:4-10).

Learn to pray. It’s easy and it’s so good for your soul.

Of course, it is.

Prayer should come in many forms: confession of sin, petitioning God for what we need or even desire that is according to His will, praying for others, and praising Him for who He is and all He has done.

These things keep the focus off of us and on Him and others which points us towards the fulfillment of His law, which is to love Him and our neighbor (Luke 10:25-28).

Nobody is perfect. People are going to tell you you’re perfect just the way you are; you’re not! You are imperfect. You always will be, but there’s a powerful force that designed you that way. And if you’re willing to accept that you will have grace and grace is a gift. Like the freedom we enjoy in this country that grace was paid for with somebody else’s blood. Do not forget it. Don’t take it for granted.

It's true no one is perfect in themselves, but the Bible speaks of us being called to be perfect as our Heavenly Father is perfect. While we may not obtain perfection here on earth, it doesn't mean we should not strive for it in gratitude for what Christ has done for us.

Furthermore, the Bible teaches that one day we will be made perfect (Hebrews 12:23).

However, Pratt equated that those who have given their lives in the past to ensure we are a free people gave their lives to do so.

He even played a remarkable role in a remake of The Magnificent Seven in which he gave his own life in order to protect others against tyrants.

In the same manner, he references the blood that Jesus Christ shed upon the Christ and the giving of His body to purchase redemption and grace for His people, taking the punishment they deserved upon Himself on their behalf. Thus, he satisfied God's wrath against the violations of his law (1 John 3:4) and yet, was able to pardon us of all our sins, demonstrating that God is just and the justifier of men (Romans 3:26).

The freedom we have in America, as well as the freedom we may experience from the power of sin came at a cost to someone, the cost of their life. May God help us to not forget such a price paid and not take it for granted.