Tarzan: Adoption, Belonging, and Love Beyond Bloodlines

Welcome, everyone to this Tarzan Christian Review as we explore the animated film through a biblical worldview. Up to Tarzan, we have journeyed through Disney’s classic animations, and with this tenth episode on Tarzan, I plan to take a brief pause from Disney classics to explore other wonderful animated works. While there are certainly many other legendary Disney classics such as Mulan, Pocahontas, and Bambi, there are so many other rich animations out there, so I want to pause here and transition to other films for a while. Please stay tuned!

To be honest, while I enjoyed watching the animated film Tarzan when I was a child, I actually had even more fun playing the Tarzan PC CD-ROM video game back then. As a child, I simply viewed it as an adventure story of a boy raised among a troop of chimpanzees and apes. However, when I rewatched Tarzan as an adult through a biblical lens, I felt profoundly humbled and convicted by the unconditional love of Kala, the ape mother. Furthermore, as many of you will agree, among the soundtrack selections of Tarzan, the representative theme song “You’ll Be in My Heart” stands out. This single song explains completely how Kala nurtured and protected Tarzan.

Shall we step together into the story of Tarzan, the tenth episode of our classic animation reflections?

Disney’s 1999 classic masterpiece Tarzan marked the grand finale of the Disney Renaissance, depicting the maturation and search for identity of a human boy set against the vast African jungle. Its dynamic visual direction—surfing across jungle canopies—and Phil Collins’ deeply evocative musical score continue to resonate profoundly in the hearts of viewers more than two decades later.

Yet, when we meditate deeply upon this work through the eyes of faith, Tarzan transcends a mere adventure. It proves to be a visual spiritual parable that exquisitely illustrates the most sublime essence of the gospel: unconditional love and the mystery of spiritual adoption. The self-sacrificial love blossoming in the animal kingdom reflects with brilliant clarity the boundless grace of God, who claimed us as His own children despite our unworthiness.

In Kala’s Embrace: Unconditional Love and the Mystery of Spiritual Adoption

Early in the narrative, the ape mother Kala is immersed in unspeakable sorrow after losing her biological infant to the ferocious leopard Sabor. In that brokenness, she discovers a helpless, crying human baby (Tarzan) abandoned in a treehouse whose parents have been killed. Confronted by this fragile creature who does not share a single drop of her blood, possesses no fur, and belongs to an entirely different species, Kala rushes through Sabor’s lingering threat without a moment of hesitation, gathers the infant into her bosom, and nurtures him.

When Kerchak, the leader of the troop, alongside the rest of the gorillas, rejects and suspects the baby, declaring that “it is not our kind,” Kala confronts all opposition purely with a mother’s undiluted love, receiving Tarzan as her genuine son.

Watching this scene, what other animated story comes to your mind? Doesn’t it immediately remind you of Dumbo, who was mocked and treated like an outcast monster by other elephants simply because of his abnormally large ears? While Dumbo was an elephant among elephants and Tarzan is a human among apes, the profound alienation of their circumstances is strikingly identical.

This poignant moment serves as a sacred model of God’s redemptive love—spiritual adoption. The mother of Dumbo displayed the exact same posture: loving her baby wholeheartedly even when his oversized ears made him appear alien to the world. Romans 8:15 proclaims:

“The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.'”

When God adopted us as His daughters and sons, He did not inspect our merits, beauty, or credentials. We were spiritual orphans abandoned in sin, yet the Lord paid the ultimate price through the blood of the cross to welcome us into His eternal family.

As I have noted in previous writings, we understand well how burdensome, emotionally grueling, and administratively complex the adoption journey is in reality, particularly in societies like the United States. It demands substantial financial expense, rigorous background scrutiny, agonizingly long waiting seasons, and the readiness to endure the complex identity struggles of an adopted child. Nonetheless, the commitment of adoptive parents who embrace a child without biological ties as their very own flesh and blood is genuinely extraordinary and worthy of the highest honor. Seeing such parents fills me with immense respect. True adoption is a noble embodiment of biblical love that cannot exist apart from the sacrificial spirit of the cross.

“You’ll Be in My Heart”: A Covenant of the Heart Beyond Bloodlines

Phil Collins’ world-renowned masterpiece, “You’ll Be in My Heart,” is far more than an animated theme song. It functions as an eternal covenant of a mother to a trembling infant, echoing the soothing voice of God to His frightened children:

“Come stop your crying, it will be all right. Just take my hand, hold it tight. I will protect you from all around you. I will be here, don’t you cry. ‘Cause you’ll be in my heart… from this day on, now and forever more.”

As Tarzan matures, grappling with painful identity confusion as he observes his distinct appearance compared to the gorilla troop, Kala tenderly places Tarzan’s hand over her own chest, and her hand over his. She whispers: “Close your eyes. Now, forget what you see. What do you feel? It’s the same. We are not different at all.”

What transcends genetics and biology is the communion of the heart. The citizens of the Kingdom of God are united not by human bloodlines, but by the heart of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. Whenever we tremble amid life’s fierce trials, burdened by our unworthiness, the Lord draws near, letting us hear the beat of His heart and reassuring us: “You are in My heart forever.” Those who have tasted this redeeming love are empowered to make the holy commitment to embrace, with an open heart, every brother and sister within the fellowship of faith far beyond blood ties.

Consider how ordinary parents love on this earth. Do loving parents reject their children if they fall on the autism spectrum or bear physical deformities? Absolutely not. While unthinking exceptions exist, the vast majority of parents wrap their arms around their vulnerable children with unconditional warmth. This is the majesty of parental devotion. And God loves us with a love immeasurably greater than this.

Jane’s Gentle Hospitality: Serving the Unrefined Without Prejudice

In the middle of the film, the encounter between the civilized Jane Porter and the wild Tarzan offers another deeply moving spiritual reflection. Tarzan wore no clothing, could not speak human language, walked on all fours, and behaved like an untamed ape. Under high-society standards, he could easily have been treated as an object of fear, mockery, or repulsion.

Yet Jane neither scorned nor cast away Tarzan’s raw wildness. Instead, she retrieved her sketchbook, communicated through simple drawings, patient gestures, and gentle eye contact, treating the nonverbal wild man as a fully dignified human person. Jane’s self-giving posture—lowering herself to his level, patiently bridging two worlds, and teaching him communication—strikes a resonant chord within us.

Jane’s unpretentious embrace urges us to examine how we treat others in our church communities and everyday lives. How do we respond within our congregations when encountering brothers and sisters whose backgrounds diverge from ours, whose words are awkward, or whose spiritual maturity seems unpolished? Do we erect invisible walls using worldly prestige or spiritual elitism as our standard?

Just as Jane extended gracious hospitality to Tarzan without prejudice, believers are called to exercise mature hospitality that bears with the weaknesses and rough edges of others. Galatians 3:28 instructs:

“There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

Even when someone appears rough or unrefined, approaching that soul with patience, service, and the redemptive eyes of Christ constitutes the true spirituality of Christian hospitality.

Called to Be True Family: Learning Agape Love Through Creation

The most sobering yet beautiful paradox within Tarzan is that spiritual human beings learn the depth of divine love through the maternal affection of an ape creature. Clayton, the hunter from civilized society, possessed refined technology and weapons, yet his heart was dominated by violence, exploitation, and greed. In stark contrast, Kala in the deep jungle laid down her safety to preserve the life of another species, embodying uncorrupted agape love.

This presents a convicting spiritual summons to our households and churches. We hear sermons on God’s love every Sunday and sing praises with our voices, yet within our homes and congregations, we so easily slip into transactional, conditional affection. Loving someone solely because “they treated me well,” “they are related by blood,” or “their personality suits my preferences” is merely a worldly transaction.

We must become people who love from the heart, just like Kala did—embracing imperfect family members, wounded church members, and neglected neighbors, even when no natural affinity exists. First John 4:19 reminds us: “We love because he first loved us.”

Though framed within an animated tale of forest creatures, the sacrifice and adoption woven into this story illuminate the profound depths of Christ’s love on the cross. Today, carrying the unmerited grace of adoption in our hearts, may we hold the hands of our families and community members, confessing unreserved love from the center of our souls.

Are our hearts reflecting Kala’s devotion today toward our families, friends, and church family?

“He predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will.”
Ephesians 1:5

Comparison: Worldly Transactional Love vs. Biblical Adoption

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Explore More Screen Devotions:

• 🎬 Movies: Explore Other Faith-Based Film Reflections
• 🌍 Documentaries: Biblical Perspectives on Real-World Issues

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Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.