THE KARATE KID, PART II (1986)

Directed by: John G. Avildsen
Written by: Robert Mark Kamen
Studio: Columbia Pictures
Starring: Ralph Macchio, Pat Morita, Danny Kamekona
Rated: PG

About the film:
Daniel accompanies Mr. Miyagi to his home in Okinawa to visit his dying father and becomes embroiled in an old rivalry that will lead to his biggest karate challenge yet. After Miyagi and an old nemesis cross paths, the son of Miyagi’s enemy takes aim at Daniel. This tie, the fight is to the death.

Movie Quote:
“Because Daniel, for man with no forgiveness in heart, life worse punishment than death.”
Mr. Miyagi (Pat Norita) in The Karate Kid, Part II (1986)

Bible Quote:
“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Ephesians 4:32 (NIV)

Commentary:
We’ve heard the expression, “A punishment worse than death.” Sometimes it is hard to imagine what form that kind of punishment might take. Mr. Miyagi gives us one such example. For a man who cannot forgive, life can be a miserable reality.

In all the annals of time, there’s only been one perfect man. What this means is that all of us living today will have ample opportunity to practice forgiveness. People are not perfect and in our imperfections we will cause others to suffer pain, whether by a deliberate act or by an unintentional, thoughtless comment.

Whenever we are wronged, we are given two choices. We can either forgive the individual who wronged us or we can harbor bitterness in our hearts towards that individual. Since bitterness is a cancer that can poison one’s soul, forgiveness is a far better decision.

Forgiveness has nothing to do with justice, reparation, or judgment. Those are issues best left to God and our civil authorities. God’s main concern for us is what we carry in our hearts. In order to fill our hearts with love, our hearts must first be emptied of all animosity, hatred, and bitterness. Bearing the light of God’s love is far more rewarding than bearing a grudge.

Questions to consider while watching the film:
1. Sato, Mr. Myagi’s old friend and rival, held a bitter grudge for decades due to their mutual affection for the same woman. How did that bitterness affect his life?
2. How was Daniel able to defeat his opponent in the final fight? From what source did he obtain his strength to continue? What lessons does that hold for us in our daily struggles?

Michael Elliott
http://screensermon.blogspot.com