Many years ago the bible study group I was a part of decided to look at this movie through God’s eyes and not the world’s perceptions. We gathered at my home for a fun movie night and meal together then we began the discussion. For the next several weeks as we gathered together on Sunday mornings we discussed, disagreed, questioned, marveled, and ultimately concluded there’s just not enough Babette’s in the world, including ourselves. The Lord has been reminding me in my Spirit to remember Babette, think about Babette, talk about Babette, so let’s take a look at many of the high points of this movie as it relates to survival, God’s mercy, relationship, and servanthood:
- Before the war that left her as a starving French refuge, Babette was a hard working woman with savvy business skills who was renowned for her French cooking as Head Chef at a very expensive Parisian restaurant. She was well respected, sought after, beautiful, and talented. War destroyed everything – her home, her family (husband and son were killed), her business, and her city. She learns to swallow her pride, make the best of her new unfortunate situation, and accepts a servants position at the home of 2 sisters in a remote Danish village for she is now homeless, destitute, and needs a roof over her head.
- Babette worked for the sisters for 14 years WITHOUT PAY, but she determinedly made the best of this situation, even though her duties went far beyond just cooking. And, with no pay there was never any hope of saving up money to have her own house and business again. However, she made friends, enjoyed good wine and food, and she thanked a merciful God for helping her survive.
- The 2 spinster sisters who hired her had given up suitors years ago to care for their ailing father, who was the very religious and pious village minister. Having spent years depriving themselves of happiness and trying to keep alive their father’s teachings, the sisters found themselves aged, judgmental, snooty, angry, and bitter. All of their efforts went to following all the religious rituals, rules, biblical teachings, scriptures, and piously upholding everything their father had taught them at home and in the village church. They had religion, but were sorely missing in the relationship with Jesus department, forgiveness, compassion, and love of life.
- Elegant and sophisticated Babette threw the sisters a curve as they saw food as another holy deprivation and were always concerned with giving in to such fleshly pleasures as fine food and wine. They complained. They bickered. They backstabbed. They squabbled. The dwindling congregants of the church were impressed by the cooking. The sisters felt they were sinning.
- Babette’s luck was about to change after 14 years with the sisters. One of her contacts in France notified her that she had won the lottery. All of a sudden Babette was Rich!!! She could do anything she wanted to now! She could travel, buy a home, live anywhere, and/or even start her own restaurant where people would appreciate her cooking again. However, that was not where Babette’s heart was at. Her heart was welled up with how she could show the sisters her gratitude for having rescued her all those years ago. Their treatment of her did not come into play. For her servants heart was only concerned with thanking the sisters and community for taking her in at a time in her life when she was broken, poor, and unwell. She listened to her conscious, her heart, the Holy Spirit within. She realized she had been given an opportunity to show love and compassion to the sisters and she seized it.
- The 100th year celebration of the sister’s father’s religious work was very soon. Babette made a heartfelt decision to spend every cent of her lottery winnings to prepare a French Feast of epic proportions, down to the expensive wine, in honor of this special day as a thank you to the sisters and community for taking her in after the war. In her mind and heart it was the honorable thing to do, she wanted to do it, and she had no bad feelings that she would then be completely broke again. She just simply stepped out in faith in servitude with no strings attached!
- “Late in the afternoon the 12 came to Him and said, “Send the crowd away so they can go to the surrounding villages and countryside and find food and lodging, because we are in a remote place here”. Jesus replied, “You give them something to eat.” Luke 9:12-13 (NIV)
None of us know when hard times, lost jobs, wars within our city, destruction of businesses and homes will find us. It’s already happened in many areas of this country today! Given hard circumstances, would we handle life the way Babette did? It’s plainly not about religious rules and rituals, money, or riches. It’s about the condition of your heart. All I know is the Lord told me, “We need more Babette’s in this world, right now”. God is looking for those who are willing to do the right thing, listen to the calls of the Holy Spirit within and act accordingly, and serve the complainers, backstabbers, unlovable, and unfair with the love and heart of Jesus. Are You in?