A Nickelby for My Thoughts

We watched Nicholas Nickleby yesterday, then finished it today. We had prayed for God to show us something about himself through it... oh, and He did. Nicholas was an upright and pure young man whose father dies. His wealthy, but mean-spirited, money-loving uncle arranges for Nicholas to take a teaching position at a truly hideous boarding school, run by vile drunkards who beat the boys. That kind, loving face amid all the hatred and pain was so very much like Jesus. You kept feeling like, "What is he even doing there? He is too good for that world." And, oh, how the vile people hated Him. It seemed the more evil a person was, the more negatively that person reacted to the goodness of Nicholas.
Jesus really shone in Nicholas in my favorite scene: A crippled boy named Smike is kicked down the stairs by the drunken woman who helps run the school. He is hurt and crying, and Nicholas comes and breathes such sweet words of encouragement. Smike asks: "Is there anything else but this? Is there anywhere that is different?" Nicholas lifts him, carries him and tells him that yes, there is much, much more outside of this place... How I loved that scene. How often the Lord Jesus breathes sweet words of hope to me... there is more, so much more than what my limited life on this planet reveals to me. I eagerly await him.
When Nicholas leaves the boarding house, Smike begs to go with him. Finally, Nicholas agrees and says, like Jesus, : "As the world treats me, so will it treat you."
The movie also had some good comments on flirtatious women. Fannie is loud and draws attention to herself constantly. She imagines that Nicholas likes her... when he does not. Fannie is also portrayed as heavy and unattractive. I pray that if Leah is tempted to flirt, she will remember how truly disgusting Fannie was. All flirtatious girls look like this on the inside.
I pray that if John meets a girl like that, that he will remember the ugliness of her heart and walk the other way when he sees her coming.