Stop for the One Who's Down (Proverbs 24:17)
Exhibit AKey Evidence
- The scene: Brink! (1998). āYou lost the race to help me?ā
- On the first day of school, Val Horriganās X-Bladz crew challenges Brinkās Soul Skaters to a relay race behind the school. If Brinkās crew wins, Val stops giving them a hard time. If they lose, itās āopen seasonā on them all year.
- Mid-race, Boomer, one of Valās skaters, crashes hard. Brink stops racing. He kneels beside Boomer, tells him to lie still (āThis happened to me last summerā), and sends a classmate for the nurse and ice.
- His team loses the race. Boomer canāt believe it: āYou lost the race to help me? Brink, man, I donāt get you.ā Brink: āTake a number.ā
- That kindness pays off later. When Val tries to fight Brink at the end of the film, Boomer is the one who steps in to stop him.
- Scripture: āDo not rejoice when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart be glad when he stumblesā (Proverbs 24:17). A rivalās fall is a chance to show mercy, not to take the win.
- Jesus pushes the same idea further: āLove your enemiesā (Matthew 5:44). Brink treats the kid on the other team as a person first.
- Stop for the one whoās down, even if heās wearing the other teamās colors.
Exhibit BFrom the Word
“Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, And do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles.”
“But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.”
Clip: Brink! (1998), dir. Greg Beeman. Used for commentary.
ClassifiedFull Briefing
"You lost the race to help me?" š¼
First day of school in Brink! (1998). Val's crew challenges Brink's crew to a relay race, and the loser's team becomes fair game all year. Mid-race, Boomer from Val's team wipes out hard. Brink could take the win. Instead he stops, kneels down, tells Boomer to stay still and sends for the nurse and ice. Brink's crew loses the race. Boomer can't believe it: "Brink, man, I don't get you." Later in the film, Boomer is the one who stands up to Val.
Scripture says: "Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles" (Proverbs 24:17, NKJV). Mercy toward a rival is rare enough that people remember it.
Stop for the one who's down. š
š¬ Clip: Brink! (1998), dir. Greg Beeman. Used for commentary.
Sources:
- Brink! (1998), Disney Channel, dir. Greg Beeman. Dialogue checked against the film's English subtitles and audio.
- Proverbs 24:17 (NKJV), checked on BibleGateway. In NKJV the verse ends with a semicolon because it continues into 24:18; the card ends it with a period.