Wreck-It-Ralph and Redemption

You put on the new man, the one created according to God's likeness in righteousness and purity of the truth.    Ephesians 4:24

My family went to see the new Disney movie Wreck-It-Ralph recently.  It was another well made and entertaining film.  We all enjoyed it.  The story is about Ralph who is the villian in a video game called Fix-It-Felix. (the game is the consumate 80's arcade game complete with sounds and motion, my kids couldn't believe I played games like that)  Ralph spends his days causing mayhem and breaking things.  At the end of the day he lives a life of isolation in a pile of trash.  He watches each night as the other characters get together and have fun.  Ralph simply wants to be appreciated.  He wants to be valued.  In the midst of trying to change others perception of him he hatches a plan to win a medal.  In his eyes, winning a medal is what it will take to make life complete.  One of my favorite parts of the film is a scene called "Bad-anon."  The scene consists of various video game villians (including Ralph) getting together to support each other.  They have a mantra that they recite each meeting that goes like this, "I am bad and that is good.  I will never be good and that's not bad."  Each of them simply admits that their lives are hopeless and that they are comfortable with that.
 Now I realize this is a movie, but I couldn't help but think that many people may feel like Ralph.  They are searching for significance in life.  They may feel as if their lives are being wasted sitting on trash heap watching the world go by.  Change seems impossible therefore just get used to the status quo.  The Bible tells us otherwise.  We read that winning a medal won't change us, meeting a Savior will. Thankfully, we have the Gospel.
We were originally broken by sin.  Every one of us were "born bad."  There is no escaping this reality (Romans 3:23).  Our lives were destined for a smoldering trash heap created for the devil and his angels.  We were doomed with no hope of ever being a "winner."  Enter Jesus Christ, the Son of God who won the battle for us on the cross.  He provides the way for us to no longer be "bad" but to be counted "good" in the eyes of God.  Because Jesus won we can be winners.     
If you are a believer in Christ be thankful that you have been transformed by the power of the cross.  If that is not a reality in your life then know that change is possible.  This type of change is not brought about through self-effort or setting out on a quest to win a medal.  Instead it is accomplished through a humble, broken, bloodied Savior who was nailed to a Roman cross.  John Piper said it best, "We weren't meant to be somebody, we were meant to know Somebody."  So for Ralph and anyone like him - there is a way to be "good."