Breach

The movie “Breach” was well made and Chris Cooper put on one of his best performances ever. It is based on the true events of the greatest security breach in American history. Robert Hanssen had been selling vital U.S. secrets to the Soviets and other enemies for nearly 25 years, causing untold damage to our national security and the lives of agents and informants around the world. The story centers around Hanssen’s capture, aided significantly by rookie FBI agent Eric O’Niell. O’Niell has been assigned to Hanssen as an aide in order to spy on him and help catch his boss in the act of passing on secret documents. O’Niell is a rookie with very little field experience and he must outwit the smartest and trickiest spy in U.S. history. The movie was edited superbly in order to maintain the tension even when the ultimate outcome is known.

Several things struck me as I watched this movie. First, it revealed how the public image of a man can be totally opposite of his private image. Hanssen was so good at projecting a righteous, loving and patriotic image, that O’Niell initially was so fooled that he actually admired Hanssen. This is a reminder that all men are fallen and hide behind masks, including ourselves. Integrity is living in such a way so that your public image is the same as your private image. Beware of power, because it often tempts you present an image that is not your true self, especially when your power is threatened.

Second, others will exploit your weaknesses in order to control you. The movie didn’t spell this out, but it is likely that Hanssen was turned by the Soviets not only by money but also because they exploited his sexually deviant behavior. Hanssen videotaped his sexual encounters with his wife and sold them to an internet site without his wife’s knowledge. The Soviets most likely threatened Hanssen with exposure if he didn’t cooperate with him. Men will do almost anything in order to keep their secret lives hidden lest their careers, families and social status be destroyed.

Third, O’Neill realized the price he would have to pay in order to become a successful FBI agent and chose not to pay that price. He saw how his assignment to spy on Hanssen nearly destroyed his marriage and decided that becoming an FBI agent cost too much. He also saw how the price the other agents had to pay to become successful and he realized that he wasn’t willing to give up the things that mattered the most to him. So after being an integral part of capturing the biggest spy in U.S. history, he had the integrity to walk away from fame and success in order to build a strong marriage with the woman he loved.

Forth, the movie clearly portrayed the guilt and shame that Hanssen had to deal with because of the choices he had made. While in public Hanssen put on a religious front that had everyone convinced he was a sincere, devout Catholic. He went to church every morning to pray, attended mass every week, and studied Catholic doctrine. Yet in the end Hanssen is tormented by guilt at confession, revealing the true inner struggle he was going through. The last scene in the movie powerfully shows O’Niell just about to enter the elevator until he sees Hanssen in it with a guard on each side. Hanssen is clearly dejected and beaten, and the movie ends as the elevator doors close as Hanssen asks O’Niell, “Please pray for me.” This is a powerful reminder that we need to pray for each other and to build strong, transparent relationships in order to help people escape their prison of guilt and find freedom from sin before it is too late.

Life Lessons 5

The fifth life lesson is Power. True power is the outward expression of our inner being. Position and wealth are not true power. Control is not true power. The more you try to control others the less you have real power over them. Only when you let go of what you can’t control, including other people, will you be able to exercise your true power.

Wealth and poverty are states of mind that affect the way you live. Power comes when you adopt an abundance mindset. A scarcity mindset causes you to think like a victim, disempowering you. When you realize that power comes from within, you can exercise your power in every situation.

Don’t give up your power to others. When you let other control you and force their opinions, desires, and ideas on you, you give up your power. But when you express your own ideas, desires, and opinions you exercise true power. When you try to make others happy, you give up your power and become codependent. Victims abdicate their power and refuse to take responsibility for themselves.

Don’t fall into the “More Trap”. If you think that more money, more things, more knowledge, or more of anything is needed for you to be happy, you are trapped because you will never have enough; you will always need a little bit more. But if you realize that you already have all that you need to be happy, then you will be able to get more of what you want and it will increase the happiness you already have. As long as you are waiting for “tomorrow” you will never be happy “today.” Gratitude is power because it frees from the “More Trap”. When you are thankful for what you already have, you are free to enjoy life.

Guilt and shame rob you of your power. Guilt is based on what you have done and shame is based on who you are. When you do wrong, you feel guilty. When you realize that you are a bad person, you feel shame. Often others force guilt and shame on us by the way they treat us and talk to us. False guilt and shame needs to be removed by the realization that we were not responsible for the things that others have done. But guilt is usually based on the wrong choices and actions we have made. The way to freedom is through forgiveness. We need to believe that God forgives us in Christ, who died for our sins, and he accepts us now as blameless and guiltless in his sight. The blood of Christ takes away our guilt and washes away our shame. This freedom is obtained by faith alone in Jesus Christ. When you experience God’s forgiveness in Christ then you will have true power.