Friend Like Me – A Reflection on the Death of Robin Williams

Friend Like Me –  A Reflection on the Death of Robin Williams

Friend Like Me – A Reflection on the Death of Robin Williams (a reflection on the death of Robin Williams and his life compared to the friendship we have in Jesus Christ)

Like many people, I was devastated by the death of Robin Williams. I grew up watching shows and movies in which he provided comfort through comedy. I can remember watching Popeye, “Mork and Mindy“, Good Morning Vietnam, Dead Poets Society, Good Will Hunting (for which he won an Oscar), and Mrs. Doubtfire. His comedy was infectious and I was always surprised how he could do impressions and comedy routines on a moment’s notice. He had a natural sense of comedy timing. In my opinion, he was a comedic genius.

I actually met Robin Williams once. In 1990, I was participating in the Walt Disney World College Program. I was at work at Keystone Clothiers at Disney MGM Studios one morning. He come up to the counter and ordered something. I rang up the order. He shook my hand and said that we were doing a great job. He seemed like a guy who wanted to truly be your friend.

In the Disney animated film Aladdin, Robin Williams plays a powerful genie. He is introduced to Aladdin with a song entitled “Friend Like Me.” The song is about the fact that the genie would be the best friend that Aladdin could have. He is powerful. He is personal. He is better than anyone else. The song lyrics describe all of the things which the genie can do to help Aladdin.

The song from Aladdin reminds me of another song: “What a Friend We Have Jesus,” the famous hymn by Joseph M. Scriven tell us:

What a friend we have in Jesus,

All our sins and griefs to bear!

What a privilege to carry

Everything to God in prayer!

Oh, what peace we often forfeit,

Oh, what needless pain we bear,

All because we do not carry

Everything to God in prayer!

 

Just like the genie, Jesus is also a Friend who can be trusted.  Jesus says to us in a our times of prayer: “You’ll never have a Friend like me.”

#RobinWilliams, #friendlikeme