One of my favorite movies is The Karate Kid. Who can’t identify in some way with Daniel Larusso, uprooted from all that is familiar by his single mom and plopped down in a new environment where he is the outsider, the new kid who becomes automatic bully bait for the tough guys at school.
A lot of people think the main lesson of The Karate Kid is that perseverance and hard work pay off in the end. And while that’s certainly true in this story—Danny does win the big karate championship in the end—that’s not the main point.
The key moment in the movie is when the inscrutable Miyagi tells Danny to wax his car. Danny has made a deal that if Miyagi will teach him karate, he must do what Miyagi wants, no questions asked.
Miyagi: First, wash all car. Then wax. Wax on …
Daniel: Hey, why do I have to? …
Miyagi: Ah, ah! Remember deal! No questions!
Daniel: Yeah, but …
Miyagi: Hai!
[makes circular gestures with each hand]
Miyagi: Wax on, right hand. Wax off, left hand. Wax on, wax off.
Daniel thought he was being taken advantage of, but as we learn later, Miyagi was teaching him karate. Daniel was learning an important skill while strengthening the muscles needed to practice that skill. But he was also learning something very important, something the wise Miyagi knew he wouldn’t learn any other way: trust and self-discipline.
I think God takes us through similar wax-on, wax-off moments. I know I’ve had many in the nearly 30 years since I first trusted Him. Sometimes the skill I learned in going through a hard time came in handy later. More often, the skill was simply learning to trust Him and wait on his grace and provision.
How about you? Struggling with finances or job loss? Wax on. Wax off. Fighting loneliness? Worry? Wax on. Wax off.
Yes, it’s easier said than done. But it needs to be done if you’re to learn and grow. We do it, not for a cheap karate trophy, but for an everlasting crown.
December 17th, 2010 | 1:24 pm
Nice post. I think you are correct. When God told Adam not to eat the fruit or he would die, I am sure Adam did not know what death was. Adam had to trust God that He knew better than Adam. Adam had to walk in faith. But Adam did not trust. I think this is part of the mystery of faith. We know what God has told us but do not understand it completely and so have to trust God.
In the Lord’ Supper, Christ tells us he is really physically present; we don’t have to understand it, just believe. We have to trust without complete understanding. This is only one of many mysteries. I don’t understand the incarnation and yet I believe it. And yet many, many Christians reject the Sacraments because they don’t find it agreeable to our reason. And yet, when we reject what is not agreeable to our reason it eventually leads to a rejection not only of revealed religion but natural religion as well.
I wonder also if this isn’t a fault line that is slowly wrecking our society. Thirty years ago, we implemented policies that have destroyed the family by driving fathers out of the home. Human tradition, accumulated wisdom, was ignored. This has lead to the destruction of the family and, it seems to, the devastation of parts of our cities as well.
It does seem to me that we have to trust God even when we don’t understand. Wax on. Wax off.
December 17th, 2010 | 7:33 pm
great post.
on a related note, miyagi seems to be approximate a new age buddhist guru…. in the karate kid part II, miyagi tells “sato” that there is “nothing to forgive,” including such actions as destroying towns out of greed and nursing hatred for decades….
of course “sato” needs forgiveness — only a new age sap could come up with such an idiotic line and believe it.
December 19th, 2010 | 7:00 pm
I would say that events since 1984 have – I would hope – taught us that “you must do whatever [your spiritual/ religious leader] tells you, no questions asked” is a dodgy path to follow.
January 7th, 2011 | 5:46 pm
[...] And for you Karate Kids, here are some thoughts from Mr. Miyagi on virtue. [...]
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