So I just heard this fan theory, supposedly published on Reddit (I don’t even know what that is), that in the movie Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Charlie was given the last golden ticket on purpose. The theory goes on to say that the story that the last ticket (out of only five worldwide) had been found in Paraguay was a deliberately planted fake. That leads to Charlie going into the chocolate store the day before the Big Event to buy a chocolate bar for his Uncle Joe. As he’s leaving, the salesman suggests that Charlie also buy a bar for himself, and when Charlie reluctantly agrees, the man reaches behind the counter and hands him the bar that ultimately proves to have the last golden ticket inside.
It was as if Charlie had ben personally chosen to receive the ticket, based on his unselfishness and big heart. He also “just happened” to live in the same town as the factory, which would eventually make it easier for “the winner” of the contest to stay at the factory and not leave behind his entire family.
This got me to thinking how God chooses each of us. We want to know, “why me, why did I get chosen?” My first thought was, “I didn’t ask to be different. I don’t want to think of myself as special.”
I’m sure all of us were selfish once, but some of us have miraculously, over time, turned the corner, so to speak… and much to our surprise we find that we actually do possess loving, caring, generous hearts. We actually do respond to messages of giving, sharing, community, etc. We actually do feel others’ pain. We honestly do want to help.
And once we’re made this commitment to living with our hearts, we are kind of “separated” from the general population. Just like Charlie, this selection isn’t random at all. Over lifetimes, our souls have overcome a lot of temptations, a lot of regrets; they grew slowly and painfully, one day at a time. We don’t see it coming, but we wake up one day to find out that “Hey, I just might be a good person after all.” Not just acting the part, man, but actually mature and caring. Who knew?
That’s why each of us gets chosen, seemingly randomly, to go to the factory. Our selflessness, over time, got us invited to win the big prize.
Joy Biscuits 