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The Script Of A Movie Is Most Important

We should take more notice of movie script writers than of actors.

the script of a movie is most important

For the last seven months, people have probably been watching more movies at home than they ever have. One drawback to that is that the studios have not been making movies because of COVID. 

There also seems to be a lot more movies that are going right to online streaming services and not starting in the theatres.

At one time movies that went straight to video were not very good, but lately I’ve watched a few that have surprised me with their quality. I have also been very disappointed with some of the movies I’ve watched. 

Usually, if there is an actor you like, you can pretty much guarantee that a movie they are in will be one you’ll enjoy. For instance, if Jason Statham is in a movie, I will go see it because I think it will be a good movie, even if I know nothing about it. 

We all have our favourite actors and we all feel that a great actor will make a movie great. 

However, in this last year I don’t think actors rule, rather it’s the script writers who rule.

I’ve watched several movies with well-known, industry-honoured actors playing starring roles. Some of those movies I saw were horrible. Even the star actor didn’t seem to do a good job acting.  

My take is that they can only act up to the script they have been given. 

I’ve seen movies this year that were so bad I could have written the dialogue for them! The lines were so predicable; there was little to no character development. 

Good movies have good lines. And those big time actors know how to deliver those lines perfectly. 

Some of those lines we remember for years and years – lines like Clint Eastwood’s, “Go ahead, make my day.”

I could fill a page full of lines from that actor. Those lines are hooks. They get you into the character, siding with the character. Every movie needs a memorable line from its lead. 

I watched a movie the other day and the lead actor was fairly well known. But because the script never dealt with his background, relationships, or personality, every time he had an emotional scene, whether it was anger, sadness, or frustration, it all seemed forced. It actually seemed out-of-character.

At the beginning of a movie or when the credits role, the main stars’ names appear across the screen in big letters.

We should see the names of the people who wrote the screenplay, big and bold on the screen. They make the actors’ performances something to remember and take note of. 

Here’s the thing: Just as a movie script is important, so is the writing of the Bible. For a book to be included in the Bible, the writings were under great scrutiny. For instance, books in the New Testament first had to be recognized as being inspired by God. Second, they had to be written by an apostle or under the authority of an apostle. Third, they had to have wide circulation and acceptance by the churches. Fourth, the writings had to agree with the apostles’ oral teaching and be contradiction free. Fifth, they had to be written in the first century during the lifetime of the apostles. It was so important that the writings were “God-breathed” and stood up to all the tests that many other writings didn’t make it into the Bible. The script is true and powerful. Be sure you read it. 

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What portions of the Bible have you read and what will you read next? Leave your comments and questions below.

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I Lacked Something Really Important

This week I realized I lacked something most people would assume I had. 

We sometimes assume that a store will have a certain item we are looking for, only to find when we get there that they are out-of-stock or worse – they don’t even sell that product at all. 

Not long ago I needed to purchase a wooden end plug for a new hockey stick I had bought.  The store I usually get them from was out-of-stock at the time.  

I thought I would see if I could get one at another sports store. 

When I couldn’t find even a spot for these plugs on any of their shelving, I asked an employee. His initial reaction told me they didn’t have them. He had no clue what I was talking about, so he checked his little handheld computer to discover the store didn’t even carry them.

I wasn’t that surprised to find they didn’t have them at this time – after all it is summer – but I did assume they would carry the product since hockey is one of their specialties. 

Then this week I found myself not only lacking a stick plug, but something more important.

For the last ten months we have been dealing with a leaky roof at our church. The ability to stop the leak has eluded the roofers for the umpteenth times they have tried to fix it. 

In the mean time, our caretaker has made two elaborate troughs to catch the water and keep it from hitting the carpet. These troughs are each about six feet long and very noticeable. 

The other day our caretaker said to me, “Maybe we should put the troughs away for now.”  

We haven’t had any leaks for the past three weeks and the last time the roofers came they fixed a large section that they discovered might be the problem. 

Since then we haven’t had a leak, but we also have not had much rain to really test it. 

I hesitated and said, “I’d like to believe it’s fixed but I’m not holding my breath.” … We’ve had high hopes before, only for them to be dashed a short time later when the roof started leaking again. 

I finally replied, “Well, let’s just move one trough out of the way underneath the coat rack.” I wanted it close by so that if it started leaking we could put it back quickly.

My caretaker wanted to get both troughs out of sight, but I didn’t really want to go that far.

Then he wanted to sit the other trough inside the one we put under the coat rack, virtually removing any leakage protection we had. 

To that I said, “You have more faith than I do.”

I got to thinking … I’m the guy most people would think would have the faith to believe that our leaky roof has been fixed. Faith is the basis of my job as a pastor. But here I was low on faith for something my caretaker had no problem with. 

Here’s the thing: I don’t lack faith in God, but I did lack faith in what God would do for us in this particular situation. When you lack faith, your actions or non-actions will give you away. That’s when you need to think a little more about your lack of faith. Figure out why you lack faith for something and then take steps to apply your faith in God for that thing. 

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What is something in your life you realize you have lacked faith for and really need to trust God with? Leave your comments below.