The seven books in the Chronicles of Narnia series might be written as children's books, but seniors can find many life lessons in these books from C.S. Lewis. The fantasy books follow several children as they enter the imaginary land of Narnia, where they face many challenges and meet many fantasy characters, including talking animals, imaginary creatures and mythological beasts. Many people find Christian meaning in the stories, with Aslan often being compared to Jesus. If you're looking for book recommendations, this series is one to consider, with the following lessons within the pages.
In The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, the White Witch successfully tempts Edmund into betraying his siblings and Aslan. She called herself the Queen of Narnia, seeking to gain his trust, and baited him with Turkish delight at their first meeting, which didn't seem to have any consequences. Edmund kept coming back for more and believed the lies the White Witch told him.
In life, temptations are everywhere. Some of those temptations might seem innocent enough, or you might not notice any consequences at first. You can be blinded by your desires and not realize you're being deceived. Eventually, giving in to those temptations could have severe consequences in your life. Being aware of those temptations and avoiding the bait from the enemy helps you remain strong in your faith.
In Prince Caspian, Lucy was the only one who could see Aslan. Her siblings were too distracted by other things to see the lion, which caused them to go down the wrong path.
In your life, you might be distracted by things that seem important, but they could be keeping you from taking the right path. If you find yourself in this situation, it might be time to refocus your attention on your walk with God. Getting rid of the distractions can help you strengthen your faith.
Another lesson that arises from only Lucy seeing Aslan in Prince Caspian is the idea of following God even when others around you don't. Aslan instructs Lucy to follow him whether the others do or not. Lucy questions if the others will see Aslan and if they'll believe her. Aslan reminds her that it doesn't matter.
In the same way, it's important for you to follow God even when others might not. You might see others going against God's commandments. It can feel lonely if it seems like you're the only one following God, but it's important to always do so. Surrounding yourself with others who choose to follow God even when it's not easy can help you stay on track.
In The Silver Chair, Aslan gives Jill the signs she'll need to find as she and Eustace set out to locate the lost prince. When she sees the signs, she needs to follow specific instructions. He emphasizes how important those signs are and encourages her to repeat them and commit them to memory. He talks about how the signs might not look the way she expects, so it's important to know in her heart what they are. Still, Jill and Eustace miss the signs, which makes the journey more difficult.
God also gives you signs — he commands you to do certain things that help guide you through life. Following those commands and looking for signs in your life, even if they aren't what you thought they'd be, can make your life easier and more rewarding. However, you can still learn lessons from missed signs. Aslan didn't scold the kids for missing the signs, just as God shows you grace if you miss his signs.
Digory goes through a difficult time dealing with his mother's illness in The Magician's Nephew. He asks Aslan for anything that could help cure his mother. It isn't until he looks up that he realizes Aslan has tears in his eyes and realizes the lion shares in his grief.
It's easy to feel alone when you're grieving or going through something difficult, but it's important to remember that God is with you through all those difficult times. God isn't just the creator or the judge. He's always there, but you need to look to him, even when you're suffering and feel he's abandoned you.
Honesty is an ongoing theme throughout the books in the Chronicles of Narnia. Edmund suffers the consequences when he lies to his siblings in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Digory owns up to his role in a witch ending up in Narnia in The Magician's Nephew. Aslan has a way of encouraging others to face the truth, which often requires them to admit when they weren't truthful.
Being honest isn't always easy. Sometimes, you might convince yourself that what you're doing is right even if it's not completely honest, or you might justify your little lies or half-truths as doing what's best for you. Confronting the truth in difficult situations is never easy, especially if you've been dishonest, but honesty can improve the situation. God gives everyone grace, even when they fail to be truthful and honest with themselves or others.
