Before you start wondering…. this blog post is actually not about the iconic American television sitcom I Love Lucy that was produced in the 1950’s. But the title did grab your attention didn’t it? đ
Although I do adore I Love Lucy (who doesn’t?), the Lucy that I am talking about is from a quite different world. I am going to be talking about Lucy Pevensie, of course! The youngest of the Pevensie children and the first one to find her way beyond the wardrobe into the magical land of Narnia.
If you have not read any of The Chronicles of Narnia books by my dear friend C.S. Lewis, you need to stop what you are doing right now, go find a copy, and get to it. For reals. The series may be widely known as stories for children, but they can be enjoyed no matter what age you are. After all, Lewis said, ” A children’s story that can only be enjoyed by children is not a good children’s story in the slightest.” And if you don’t want to take my word or his word for it, just think about when these books were written (1950’s) and how popular they still are to this day. That’s saying something.
When I first read The Chronicles of Narnia series in college, I felt immediately drawn to the character of Lucy. I found it curious that Lewis chose a young innocent girl to be the first to enter the unknown realm of Narnia. Why would he do such a thing? Wouldn’t it make more sense for him to choose Peter? He is the oldest and most experienced after all. Why not Susan? She is the most practical and mature. Even Edmund seems to be a better choice despite his temper and poor attitude. What was Lewis trying to get at here?
I think the answer can be summed up in two words: childlike faith.
Throughout scripture, the idea of becoming like a child is mentioned several times. Jesus himself even says “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3). I think Lewis illustrates this perfectly through Lucy and her entrance into Narnia.
Out of all the Pevensie children, Lucy has the most childlike qualities, which in the end made her the perfect person to enter the kingdom of Narnia first. When she took her first steps into the snowy wonderland, she embraced it with curiosity and wonder, like a young child experiencing something for the very first time. She was open to meeting new people like Mr. Tumnus and exploring places she had never been before. She didnât waste time questioning what she was seeing and trusted that what she was seeing was real. She was filled with excitement and joy and upon returning home couldnât wait to share what she had seen with the others.
Her siblings, on the other hand, reacted in a quite different way. They met the idea of the âfantasyâ world behind the wardrobe with skepticism and doubt. When Lucy shared the news, they immediately thought she was joking around and eventually started to think that she could be losing her mind. Susan and Peter were so concerned about the whole ordeal that they even went to talk to the Professor, the man who was taking care of them. It was not until Susan, Peter, and Edmund experienced Narnia with their own eyes, that they finally believed in Lucy.
Now, why in the world am I sharing all this information with you? I mean, Lucy is just a character from a childrenâs book. Sheâs not even a real personâŚso why does all of this even matter?
Well, to be quite honest, I believe that God used the character of Lucy to teach me some important truths that I desperately needed to learn. Truths that have since impacted the way I view my faith, my perspective of the world, and how I live my life. Truths that I would love to share with you to encourage you on your own journeys, just like they have encouraged me on mine. In a way, I feel like the character of Lucy has walked beside me like a dear friend. One of those friends who helps you see the world in a different light. Oh, and did you know that the name âLucyâ means âlightâ? How fitting, for that is exactly what she has been for me on my journey.
So, now I invite you to come along with me as I recall all that God has revealed to me through the character of a young adventurous girl.
Lucy Lesson #1 â Be Open to New Experiences
One of the character traits that made Lucy stick out from the rest of her siblings was her openness to experiencing new things. You better believe that if Peter, Susan, or Edmund discovered Narnia first that they would not have reacted in nearly the same fashion as their younger sister. Lucy takes the prize on this one.
I truly believe that God wishes for us to try new things and get outside of our comfort zone every once in a while. Iâm definitely not saying you should be open to EVERY opportunity that comes your way, because there will be some opportunities that are inherently not good for you. However, I do think God calls us to use our common sense to avoid opportunities that could harm us and be open to ones that can help us grow (He gave us brains people, use âem!). Afterall, if Lucy didnât have that openness about her, she wouldnât have discovered Narnia. Just imagine all the things you could be missing out on while you close yourself off from experiencing things that are not familiar to you. God could have something amazing waiting for you and you would never know it!
Lucy Lesson #2 â Believe in Yourself (Even When No One Else Does)
This is a tough one. Iâm not gonna pretend like this is easy. The minute that Lucy stepped back into the dusty attic, ready to share her discoveries with her siblings, she was met with the cold wall of skepticism. Imagine how hard that must have been for her. Trying to share her story with her loved ones while their words of doubt are creeping into her heart. What a cross to bear! But wow, did Lucy take on that cross so gracefully. Not once did she back down. She held true to herself and never wavered. She knew what she saw and believed in herself even in the face of adversity. Even when the people closest to her questioned her.
Without a doubt, there will be many times in our life when we will be put in situations similar to Lucyâs. There will be times when we feel called to do something or have big âcrazyâ dreams and when we try to share those ideas with other people there is a possibility that they will not understand us or think we are crazy or impractical (the list goes on and on). What does God desire us to do in those moments? I think he wants us to respond like Lucy did. Stay true to who we are. Know ourselves and the gifts we have been given. Believe in what God is calling us to do and never lose sight of that. Despite what everyone else says. If God brings you to it, he will bring you through it.
Lucy Lesson #3 â Forgive & Forget
This is another hard pill to swallow. Especially when forgiving means forgiving someone who deeply hurt you. Lucy, however, makes this act of charity look like the easiest thing in the world. When Edmund accidently discovers Narnia in an attempt to follow and make fun of Lucy, they return together and are greeted by Susan and Peter. Despite obtaining evidence that Narnia is in fact real and that his sister is not going insane after all, he still chooses to lie and keep that information to himself, which only continues the isolation that Lucy must have been feeling at the time. How rude! Eventually all four of the Pevensie children enter into Narnia together and all the misconceptions are cleared up. Naturally, our human tendency would be to snidely say âI told you soâ, but Lucy responds in a more virtuous way. She simply forgives her siblings (even the despicable Edmund) for how they reacted and moves on from the matter. Easier said than done, right?
Forgiving others is not some new way of thinking that Lucy just happened to discover. It is something God commands us to do daily and is mentioned all throughout scripture, in both the Old and New Testament. This idea should not be surprising to us. Except, we are still pretty awful at ACTUALLY doing it (woohoo, go humanity!). Lucy is a perfect example of how forgiveness should actually be lived out, not only because she forgave and moved on, but because she forgave and kept on forgiving throughout the entire book, even when Edmund betrays her once again later on in the story. In the Gospel of Matthew, Peter asks Jesus âLord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times? Jesus said to him âI do not say to you seven times, but seventy-timesâ (Matthew 18:21-22). WOW. Thatâs a lot of forgiveness right there and Jesus doesnât want us to stop there either. He wants us to keep on forgiving without counting the cost, which is exactly what Lucy did.
Lucy Lesson #4- Walk by Faith and Not by Sight
Throughout the Narnia books, there are many moments when Lucy sees something way before her siblings do. Not only is she the first to discover Narnia, but she is also the first one to see Aslan. So, why Lucy? Why could she see things that her siblings couldnât? What makes her so different? Well, the answer is actually pretty simple. She had faith. Something her siblings largely lacked. It is only after the other three put their trust in Lucy that they begin to see what she sees. So, what can we learn from this in our own lives?
Throughout our journeys there will be times when life just doesnât make sense. A world behind a wardrobe? Impossible! A talking lion? You have got to be making this up. But Lucy was quick to believe in the impossible. And we are called to do the same. Throughout scripture, Jesus tells us many seemingly âimpossibleâ things. Things that sound absolutely insane. Things that make us think âthat is too good to be trueâ. When we are faced with situations like this, let us respond like Lucy did with complete faith and trust in our Lord. For eventually we will see His promises with our own two eyes. For âeye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Himâ (1 Corinthians 2:9).
Lucy Lesson #5- Be Valiant!
At the end of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, the four Pevensie children are crowned as the Kings and Queens of Narnia and given unique titles that embody their true character. Peter is dubbed King Peter the Magnificent. Susan becomes Queen Susan the Gentle. Edmund is given the name King Edmund the Just. And Lucy is crowned Queen Lucy the Valiant. Wait a second. Valiant? Isnât valor something typically associated with knights and battle? Doesnât it mean to show courage and determination? Isnât that kind of strange to associate with the most compassionate and innocent of the Pevensie children?
Oddly enough, I think we can learn a lot about being brave and standing our ground from Lucy. She is the perfect example of Joshua 1:9 â âHave I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you goâ. I mean, think about it. She bravely entered into a new world on her own. She didnât back down when her own siblings refused to believe her. She stood up for what she knew to be true. She even fought in the battle at the end of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. You canât get more valiant than that!
We will be faced with many battles in our own lives. Times when it will be so much easier just to give into worldly desires. Times when it would be so much simpler to not stand up for what is right. Times when it would be so much more comfortable to just go with the flow. During those moments, let us remember Lucy. How she fought against the evils of this world and refused to back down. How she fought for what was good, true, and beautiful. Let us pray to God for the strength and courage to be valiant during the most difficult moments. Just like Lucy.
Beyond the Wardrobe 