Star Wars Jesus: Do What is Right

"You must do what you feel is right, of course"

Luke – “Alderaan? I'm not going to Alderaan. I’ve got to go home. It’s late, I’m in for it as it is.”

Ben – “I need your help, Luke. I’m getting too old for this sort of thing. She needs your help.”

Luke – “I can’t get involved! I’ve got work to do! It’s not that I like the Empire. I hate it! But there’s nothing I can do about it right now. It’s such a long way from here.”

Ben – “That’s your uncle talking.”

Luke – “My uncle. How am I ever going to explain this?”

Ben – “Learn about the Force, Luke.”

Luke – “Look, I can take you as far as Anchorhead. You can get a transport there to Mos Eisley or wherever you're going.”

Ben – “You must do what you feel is right, of course.”

Episode IV: A New Hope

Not that the Bible exists in Luke's world, but he is trying to respect and honor his parents, which is the fifth Commandment (Exodus 20). Likewise, Ben is presenting the idea that becoming a Jedi and fighting the Empire are more right than obeying Luke’s Uncle Owen. This is similar to becoming Jesus' disciple and comparatively hating our mother and father and even ourselves for the sake of following him. (Luke 14:26)

Which is right for Luke to do?

On a larger scale, where is the line between submitting to our governing authorities (Romans 13:1) and obeying everything Christ has commanded us (Matthew 28:20) when the two are at odds? Sure there are huge issues on which we easily agree, such as fighting a dictator. However, what happens when we confront the more subtle issues? There is no nice-like-a-cliché answer for those types of situations.

If we love our parents, or our government, or our society, or anything more than God, we are wrong. Also, doing or thinking something God does not want us to do or think is wrong. Not following God’s lead could be very wrong. Figuring out where, when, and how we need to follow God, though, especially when it goes against the teachings of our parents or leaders, is the process of developing the masculine part of our identities, and it is a large part of becoming an adult.

There is no guarantee our parents will understand. There is no guarantee something emotionally or physically violent will not happen to us. Many people have been tortured and martyred in this pursuit. The only thing that we can be sure of is that we have to make the decision ourselves. Our parents are not always wrong and we are not always right.

It comes down to this, to quote Ben’s response to Luke, “You must do what you feel is right, of course.”

The problem is that what feels right to us is often wrong. “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.” (Proverbs 14:12) Luke Skywalker was acting immaturely here because he was still a young teenager. He lacked the awesome peace and calmness that experience and training gave to Obi-Wan Kenobi.

The reason why education and training—especially in the spiritual realm—are so important is so we can become a Ben Kenobi instead of remaining stuck in our thinking as was young Luke, or worse, as was Uncle Owen.

Education and training are also vital because important decisions that become milestones in our lives often test us. And very frequently, we must make these decisions alone, often in split seconds. In those moments, we must act instinctively to do what we feel is right.

It is not fair that Luke Skywalker has an immediate decision to make and is not fully ready to make it. This is often how adulthood rudely comes upon us. It seems Luke knows, deep down inside, that it is the right time to go with Ben. Yet, it is not just his Devotion to Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru that holds him back. Luke might be a bit scared by this sudden opportunity.

In the question of “To be or not to be,” Luke decides not to be, not to join Ben, and not to become a Jedi Knight like his father before him. It takes the destruction of his home and the gruesome murders of his aunt and uncle to get him off the decision-making fence.

It is in this manner that the reluctant Luke Skywalker, like so many mythical heroes before him, starts on his quest.

*Devotion from Caleb Grimes’ book, Star Wars Jesus, A Spiritual Commentary on the Reality of the Force. Used with permission.