Leave it to Beaver!
Starring: Barbara Billingsley, Hugh Beaumont, Tony Dow, and Jerry Mathers as
the Beaver.
In a male commentator’s voice, these are the words that have
echoed from television sets across America millions of times since this
renowned sitcom’s first debut in October 1957.
Even if one has not heard or seen it himself, he knows of it. It is familiar. This sitcom painted the picture of what it
looked like to live in 1950s American suburbia.
Almost 60 years later, its influence lives on in our country. While some people are appalled by this
picture of family and suburbia life screaming “women’s rights!” or “end male
domination,” many people lust over this ideal.
For those who are attracted to the marriage and family of Ward and June
Cleaver, what is it about their life that is so appealing? Is
there an innate desire to live this way or is it merely an image or façade painted
by our culture – a social construct?
We have almost been convinced that if we lived the way the
Cleaver’s did, we would be safe and secure.
Warm in our suburban home, surrounded by our white picket fence that
formed the perimeter around our plush freshly mowed lawn, setting down to the
table to eat a homemade baked apple pie served to us by our mother in a pearl
necklace, we would be safe. Safe. Yes – safe – for a moment. A fleeting moment. Yet, life happens and sometimes we are not
given that apple pie. In fact, many of us aren’t. Then, what do we do? Give up? Hang up the towel? No.
There is something greater. We have
never been promised comfort or security on this Earth. That is not the point of this life. This life is a journey and sometimes it is a
difficult one. This life is a journey to
becoming something greater if we allow ourselves to become it. One day, this life will end. Then and only
then will we experience eternal glory, eternal security, and eternal comfort. Ward and June Cleaver do not determine where
I spend eternity.
“In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while
you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith – of greater
worth than gold which perishes even though refined by fire – may be proved
genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is
revealed.” 1 Peter 1:6-7
