Hustle with Paul McDonald, Brendan McDonald, and Ricky Furr
This week on the Men at the Movies podcast, we’re running a three man weave as we talk about Hustle starring Adam Sandler. In order to become men who can mentor others, we must first receive affirmation of who we are. But it’s difficult to trust the mentor because so many uninitiated men have abused their power. We find that when we engage and risk in what we believe in, even the setbacks and adversity are part of the best time of our lives. Never back down, and let’s discover God’s truth in this movie.
How to find a mentor like Bo Cruz
Quotes
Part of discovering who you are involves discovering who you aren’t.
Mentors can see something in you that you can’t see in yourself.
He would rather lose playing it safe than win by risking.
“Obsession will beat talent every time.”
Make mistakes once.
The student has to work hard. The mentor has to work harder.
When we walk in our mission and calling, we bring people together.
When we engage and risk in something we believe, even the setbacks and downturns are part of the best time of your life.
The only way we get better is by going through adversity.
Themes
Stanley as mentor: has to be initiated by a mentor (Rex), scout-identifies potential, coach-teaches how to maximize potential, has to believe in himself despite what others say, takes risk in what others don’t see, allows mistakes at opportunities to grow, the process is more important than the results.
Bo as the one being initiated: has to receive what Stanley is offering, has to believe he is worth the investment, has to fight through the struggles, has given up everything because he believes in Stanley, learns through mistakes and failures, resistance increases, what voice will he listen to when it goes downhill?
Vince as the uninitiated: makes others sacrifice for his gain, manipulates with offers of gifts or fear of retribution, afraid of making mistakes.
Never back down
Bo and Stanley had their identity attacked: for Bo, it was do I belong on the court? For Stanley, he questioned if he belonged as a coach?
Resources
Men at the Movies YouTube channel (@menatthemovies)
Men at the Movies discuss Creed
“So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.” - Hebrews 4:14-16 (NLT)
“Thereafter, Hagar used another name to refer to the LORD, who had spoken to her. She said, “You are the God who sees me.” She also said, “Have I truly seen the One who sees me?” - Genesis 16:13 (NLT)
“(God’s Kingdom) is also like a man going off on an extended trip. He called his servants together and delegated responsibilities. To one he gave five thousand dollars, to another two thousand, to a third one thousand, depending on their abilities. Then he left. Right off, the first servant went to work and doubled his master’s investment. The second did the same. But the man with the single thousand dug a hole and carefully buried his master’s money.
“After a long absence, the master of those three servants came back and settled up with them. The one given five thousand dollars showed him how he had doubled his investment. His master commended him: ‘Good work! You did your job well. From now on be my partner.’
“The servant with the two thousand showed how he also had doubled his master’s investment. His master commended him: ‘Good work! You did your job well. From now on be my partner.’
“The servant given one thousand said, ‘Master, I know you have high standards and hate careless ways, that you demand the best and make no allowances for error. I was afraid I might disappoint you, so I found a good hiding place and secured your money. Here it is, safe and sound down to the last cent.’
“The master was furious. ‘That’s a terrible way to live! It’s criminal to live cautiously like that! If you knew I was after the best, why did you do less than the least? The least you could have done would have been to invest the sum with the bankers, where at least I would have gotten a little interest.
“‘Take the thousand and give it to the one who risked the most. And get rid of this “play-it-safe” who won’t go out on a limb. Throw him out into utter darkness.’ - Matthew 25:14-30 (MSG)
Love Does by Bob Goff
Questions
Who has seen your potential?
Where do you feel invisible?
Did you lose the person who believed in you? What does that feel like?
How did you respond when you “had a bad game?”
How can you learn from your worst days?
Where do you feel like you belong?
Where have you been fathered/led/mentored?
Where are you being invited to father/lead/mentor others?
More info
If you would like to support our work (and get some behind-the-scenes perks), visit our Patreon page, www.patreon.com/menatthemovies. Get invites to livestreams, ebook devotionals drawn from a movie, even free merch. If you’d like to do a one-time contribution (a cameo appearance), visit www.menatthemovies.com/investors.
Edited and mixed by Grayson Foster (https://graysonfoster.com/)
Logo and episode templates by Ian Johnston (https://ianhjohnston.com/)
Audio quotes performed by Britt Mooney, Paul McDonald, and Tim Willard, taken from Epic (written by John Eldredge) and Song of Albion (written by Stephen Lawhead).
Southerly Change performed by Zane Dickinson, used under license from Shutterstock
Links: