Fans of Dr. Seuss have likely heard of “Horton Hears a Who.” In the spring of 2008 a fantastic adaptation of the Dr. Seuss classic children’s book was made into a movie. The premise of the movie revolves around character and integrity, especially as Horton an imaginative elephant hears a cry for help from a speck of dust floating through the air. Suspecting that there may be life on that speck and despite a surrounding community which thinks he has lost his mind, Horton is determined to help. Horton carries around a clover which holds this speck of dust and the fate all that live there, which impresses the kids in the Jungle of Nool. However, Kangaroo has had enough of Horton’s nonsense and she has gone to Vlad, who has razor sharp claws, with the plan to kick Horton out of the Jungle of Nool. As Morton explains this to Horton, asking him to get rid of the clover Horton replies, “I can’t. I promised the Mayor. I meant what I said, and I said what I meant. And an elephant is faithful 100 per cent . . . That’s my code, my motto.”
Even when threatened, Horton is determined to remain faithful. He is not wiling to allow anything to compromise his motto: “I meant what I said, and I said what I meant. An elephant is faithful 100 per cent.” That part of the movie really got me thinking. What is my motto? What do people know about me? Wikipedia describes a motto as “a phrase meant to formally describe the general motivation or intention of a social group or organization.” Still, I think we all carry our own motto or life goal as you might call it. I’ve heard a lot of different mottos before: “Work hard, play hard;” “Live free or die trying;” “The person who dies with the most toys wins;” “Live life to the fullest.” I am sure there are many different “mottos” or ambitions for life, but how many of us know what ours is? What drives us? Are we like Horton, faithful 100 per cent? The Bible tells us of God’s faithfulness: Psalm 33:4 (NIV) “For the word of the LORD is right and true; he is faithful in all he does.” Psalm 145:13 (NIV) is another great passage of Scripture: “Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. The LORD is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made.”
The steadfast faithfulness of the Lord can be absolutely reassuring. He is truly faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made. I know that I don’t always succeed at living out my motto, but my desire is to reflect God’s faithfulness. It could be best summarized by drawing from the Westminster Shorter Catechism which says in response to the question “What is the chief end of man:” “Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.” Wow! That is quiet a statement. What would life look like if that was our motto – our life goal? Would we be any different? I know that in my life I don’t always get this right, but I want it to be my code, my motto – to glorify God and to enjoy him forever. Now that is a motto for life!