1 Peter 4:10
King James Version
10 As every man hath received the gift,
even so minister the same one to another,
as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
Yesterday afternoon was an interesting exercise in being faithful to God.
I thought up an idea for a Bible play.
And started "casting" real-life actors for my Bible characters.
Only because I thought up a funny actor would play the prophet Jonah role perfectly.
The idea played itself, and before you knew it, I was thinking up other actors and actresses to play various roles.
I even created a new blog on the idea itself, and was having such fun creating it, until something stopped me.
The Jonah actor was just fine.
When I got to who would play Jesus, it was fine -- to a point.
It bothered me that he could play Jesus in one film, and yet play a villain in another.
(Well, what was I expecting?
This was the film industry, after all.)
Now, to continue the exercise.
When I got to the "voice" of God, a particular actor came to mind.
To my mind, his voice had the right timbre.
He was such a gifted actor, he could play a noble king.
And yet, in another film, his voice was used for a dragon.
And that's when it didn't seem right anymore.
For in the Bible, the deceiver was depicted as a dragon, too.
Revelation 12:9
King James Version
9 And the great dragon was cast out,
that old serpent,
called the Devil,
and Satan,
which deceiveth the whole world:
he was cast out into the earth,
and his angels were cast out with him.
"Cast out into the earth"?
No wonder, he was being cast here.
And no matter how cute the producers made the dragon, my heart simply couldn't equate God's voice, with an actor who could play both roles in the world.
Then I thought up an actor for apostle John.
This actor had played John before.
But I researched a bit more, and found that although he was a fine actor, he also liked to drink and carouse.
When I thought up another actor to play the deceiver, one came to mind in particular, for a villain role he played before.
Funny thing is, in real life, he wanted to play the lead part -- a god -- but the producers thought he fitted the nemesis mold more.
So he got that role, and even did a series of three films on that theme.
Now, in my heart, I said I better stop "casting" actors for my Bible play.
Nothing fit, according to Scripture.
Also, these actors were human beings.
I cannot appoint the deceiver role to an actor, who already expressed his desire to play the better role in real life.
I cannot mold his work, as the world already had.
Translated, I cannot dig a deeper ditch for the poor actor.
I also understood how the film industry was especially harsh on its actors, replacing older ones, with younger ones.
You know how it goes -- youth, looks, fame, money, and all.
Furthermore, what's this talk of "gods", superheroes, and all that?
The film industry seems to propagate that a lot lately.
So, I shelved the whole idea.
I better just stick to my Bible, whose characters were real, and didn't need to be played out by the world's actors.
I could not further propagate the film industry's traits, which were contrary to God's.
Yeah, but it's just play-acting, you'd say.
"It's just a film."
"It's just acting."
Well, I simply can't.
After I found what I did, and reviewed everything, I could not continue with my child-like idea of a Bible play.
Nothing was real.
It was all made up.
And people lost their soul, in the process.
It was cut-throat competition.
Just like in all industries that don't love God.
With this little exercise yesterday afternoon, I realized how many actors had sold out, just to get a plum role.
They were all fine actors -- for I researched on them -- but they were in an industry that asked one to sell out.
We see the survivors of this industry, and other industries that feed on them, and the treatment has been harsh.
We have seen fortunes rise, and fall.
Faces rise, and fall.
Popularities rise, and fall.
The effects of which, show on the actors* faces, bodies, and lifestyles.
You've read about the failed marriages, the many marriages, the pain, the deaths, the addictions, the suffering children, the dysfunction.
At what price, fame?
Upon seeing the actors go this way, and that, I had no heart to continue my Bible play.
How the film industry has feasted upon these actors' talents.
How these actors have allowed the industry to feast upon them.
What a terrible way to live.
For myself -- as a born again -- I can only live by this:
1 Corinthians 10:31
King James Version
31 Whether therefore ye eat,
or drink,
or whatsoever ye do,
do all to the glory of God.
Now, I am convinced.
I cannot have anything to do with film -- unless it be of God.
*On actors: I purposely used the word "actors" to include both genders.
Updated 24 January 2022
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