I can’t imagine there’s too many red-blooded Americans who haven’t seen the 1939 movie classic, “Wizard of Oz.” It’s memorable on so many levels: a masterpiece in early cinematography, esp. with its burst of Technicolor when Dorothy touches down in Munchkinland; the Oscar-winning performance by Judy Garland for her song, “Over the Rainbow”; all the iconic stars who headed the cast; and of course, its magical combination of fantasy, drama, adventure and music.
There’s another song in this film that depicted what Dorothy and her three companions most cherished to do: visit the Emerald City in order to seek the presumed wise counsel of the Wizard of Oz. Together they trekked as they sang, “Follow the yellow-brick road.”
But it was something Scarecrow said that I find most intriguing. Dorothy had been walking along with Toto in toe. (In case you don’t recall, Toto was her dog.) Then they came to this fork in the road. Turning to Toto rather perplexed, she spoke aloud, “Now which way do we go?”
Of course Toto didn’t answer – he’s a dog. But a scarecrow did. (Hmm; and later a tin man and a lion. Oh, the pleasures of fantasy; but I digress.) He pointed in the direction of one of the two paths, while stating, “Pardon me, this way is a very nice way.” He had no clue where Dorothy was heading, so he really wasn’t offering this lost lady any helpful direction. He was just offering his unsolicited opinion about which route he would take for who knows what reason.
But Scarecrow spoke again, now pointing down the other path. “It’s pleasant down that way too.”
Dorothy now realizing scarecrows do talk, at least in Munchkinland, pondered aloud, “Wasn’t he pointing the other way?”
Now here’s Scarecrow’s intriguing line: “Of course, some people do go both ways,” suggesting both ways have their benefits.
How apropos an introduction to the subject we will be tackling this coming Sunday morning. Why not join us as we unveil what the book of Proverbs says about how we should navigate our way through life; does it matter which path or paths we take?
