Moana 2, in theatres this November, takes place three years after the original movie. In it, Moana (Auli’i Cravalho), the curious young daughter of the village chief on the Polynesian island of Motunui, went on a dangerous journey across the ocean to return the heart of Te Fiti and save her village.

In this second instalment, Moana hears a call from her ancestors urging her to embark on a mission to reconnect her people with other communities across Oceania. This requires Moana to leave her comfortable, friendly village and sail the far seas, where she will face challenges she’s never encountered before, including the underworld goddess Matangi. With the help of Maui (Dwayne Johnson), the shape-shifting, singing demigod, and a crew of friends, including her pet pig and a rooster who eats rocks, Moana embarks on the dangerous journey. 

But will she be able to reconnect the people of Oceania and break the curse that has befallen them?

Each of us has been called to a specific mission in this life, and if we are a Christian, that mission is connecting people with Jesus. DIANE STARK

Building Relationships

Like Moana, each of us has been called to a specific mission in this life, and if we are a Christian, that mission is connecting people with Jesus. 

In the last words Jesus spoke on earth, He said, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20). 

These words are known as the Great Commission, and just as Jesus assigned this task to His disciples 2,000 years ago, He assigns it to us today.

Some Christians live out this mission by sharing the Bible overseas, but we can share the good news about Jesus right where we are. We can do it every day, in big and small ways, by telling people about God’s love. 

Eternal Benefits

It’s true that the Great Commission is a job, but it’s also a promise. Jesus gave us a mission, but He didn’t ask us to carry it out on our own. He is with us, helping us and comforting us every step of the way.

This doesn’t mean the mission is easy. Sharing Jesus with those around us means stepping out of our comfort zone and forming connections with other people, even those we may not have much in common with. 

But completing it—with Jesus’ help—has benefits that will last for eternity.

And I’ll take the help of Jesus—the Saviour of the world—over some rock-eating rooster any day of the week.

Diane Stark is a wife, mother of five and freelance writer from rural Indiana. She loves to write about the important things in life: her family and her faith.

Illustration: Courtesy of Walt Disney Animation Studios

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