Wisdom, Fools and Peter Pan

This morning I read about Solomon: God says, ‘Ask me for whatever you want and you shall have it.’ Solomon asks God for wisdom… Today is April 1^st – All Fools Day.

Last night we watched B&B Youth Theatre present Peter Pan: it was excellent. Peter Pan takes Wendy and her brothers to Never Land. There they meet Peter’s friends the Lost Boys, and pirates led by the treacherous Captain Hook…

Peter Pan presents us with challenges… We need Solomon’s wisdom, not April’s folly:

Good and Evil: The good, innocent children, led by Peter Pan, oppose Captain Hook and his bloodthirsty pirates. Life isn’t always that straightforward. We need wisdom to discern the good guys from the bad guys, right from wrong, good from evil.

Truth and Fiction: Peter Pan is a wonderful but bonkers story. The real world of London mixes with the make-believe world of Never Land. We need wisdom to discern fact from fiction, imagination from reality, fake news from truth.  

Courage and Cowardice: The conflict between good and evil challenges the children to face conflict with courage, not to run away from it. We need wisdom to discern which challenges, which fears, are to be confronted and, if necessary, fought with.

Care and Carefree: Wendy’s loving, nurturing character is contrasted with Peter Pan’s carefree character. Wendy cares about the Lost Boys; Peter loves his independence. We need wisdom to discern who we should care for, and how we should show that care.

Youth and Maturity: Eventually Wendy and her brothers return to London and grow up. Peter Pan rejects adult responsibilities and stays young. We need wisdom to discern when cling onto our youth, when to recognise our adult responsibilities, and when to grow old gracefully.

Awe and Wonder: Never Land suggests a world that is bigger than the seen and experienced. Perhaps there are times when we restrict our world. We lose sight of what we imagine could be. We need wisdom and discernment not to make our world too small.

All pictures credit: B&B young people’s theatre group.