United Methodist Church Of Westlake Village

Send us a textWhat happens when you combine a children's movie about dragons with one of Jesus's most challenging teachings? A surprisingly profound exploration of conflict, empathy, and the radical power of loving your enemies.Using "How to Train Your Dragon" as a creative entry point, we dive into the timeless wisdom behind Jesus's command to "love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." The film's protagonist, Hiccup, discovers that dragons—long considered mortal enemies of his Viking community—aren't the mindless killers everyone believes them to be. Through understanding and connection, he transforms a generational conflict into peaceful coexistence.This cinematic journey parallels our real-world struggles with Jesus's difficult teaching. We wrestle with honest questions: Is there a limit to loving our enemies? What about the Hitlers of the world? Yet history offers us powerful examples in figures like Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr., who em