Goonies and Lessons in Believing In Self and Others

1985 may have been a pivotal year for the pop culture of the decade. Many cult classics were released, and some memorable songs that continue to age like fine wine.

For movies, 1985 was another big year for cinema during the decade, as Steven Spielberg continued to make a name for himself as a producer. One such movie was The Goonies, which was released in June 1985, just days before Back to the Future.

The film follows a group of adventurous boys who discover a map belonging to a pirate named One-Eyed Willie. As their community is faced with imminent foreclosure to make way for a country club, the group realizes that this adventure can help them save their community from a money-hungry property development company.

During their quest to save their community, which includes overcoming many obstacles and adversities that were in their midst, the film offers us lessons that resonate long after the credits roll.

Faith in Self and Others

At the core of the film, Mikey Walsh (Sean Astin) never once wanted to quit in the pursuit of finding the gold. While the group wanted to quit, he kept reminding them about how far they’ve come.

What Mikey teaches us in the film is the virtue of perseverance. Through Mikey, each member of the group learned to have faith in self and even each other.

Taking Steps of Faith

For the Goonies, their path to finding the treasure didn’t happen by some hocus pocus. Rather, they took the adventure one step at a time. Like them, we must take steps of faith, which is about believing in God's plan and acting upon it.

 It's about trusting that God will provide and that He will eventually lead us to our desired destination, even if we don't see the path.

Overcoming Fear

The bible would quote three simple words, “Be Not Afraid,” 365 times. That is equivalent to having those words texted or messaged to you every day for a year.

Many members of the group were scared of what was to come. Whether it was discovering a corpse, fear of not seeing their family again, or of the unknown, each member of the group faced each one with courage.

God said to Joshua, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."

The Goonies teaches us that fear can be conquered by courage, relying on those willing to lead us to our life goal of getting to heaven, and persevering is key to overcoming setbacks and obstacles along our spiritual journey.