Below are Kids Movie Talking Points for A Bug’s Life.
Flick has a reputation for wasting his time with inventions and for being a “failure,” but did he do anything wrong?
Flick was sincerely trying to use his creativity to help the colony and there is certainly nothing wrong with that. However, he tends to be hasty and not aware of what’s going on around him (like when he was throwing stalks behind him and it was hitting the queen). The Bible says, “Desire without knowledge is not good, and whoever makes haste with his feet misses his way” (Prov. 19:2) Even when our intentions are good, we must act wisely and not be too hasty (like when Flick threw his contraption by the offering and it hit a rock causing the whole thing to fall).
How could the other ants have treated Flick better?
They could have been kinder to him by encouraging him about his impressive inventions, and gently helping him see the importance of being aware of his surroundings and the harmfulness of hastiness.
Why are the grasshoppers so mean to the ants?
Hopper later explains that he wants the ants to be scared so that they never try to stand up to them and threaten the grasshopper’s way of life. The grasshoppers didn’t need the ants to give them food; they were using them to make their life easier. That is a sin according to the Bible which says we should love our neighbor as ourselves (Matt. 22:39). That doesn’t mean all people will always have the same amount of money or possessions, but it does mean we should never gain dishonestly or by using others unjustly.
What should we do if others are mean to us or try to scare us into doing things we don’t want to do?
We should pray and talk about it immediately with our parents or someone we trust.
When Flick stands up to Hopper the other ants are inspired and overrun the grasshoppers. What should inspire us to treat others rightly and obey God’s Word?
When Christians think of how Jesus stood up to sin by dying on the cross, and conquered sin and death by rising from the grave, we are emboldened to lay down our life for others and obey God no matter how difficult that is. Like God’s Word says, “By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our life for the brothers” (1 John 3:16) and “The love of Christ controls us” (2 Cor. 5:14).
Mike McGregor
Mike McGregor (MDiv, Reformed Theological Seminary) is Director of College Ministry at First Baptist Church in Durham, N.C. You can follow him on Twitter at @m5mcgregor.
