Millions

The Daily Post Prompt Millions

One Million:
Ten to the power of six;
One-thousand squared;
1,000,000.

One Million or millions, it’s a lot of something. People. Money. A lot.

Millions of people will watch the movie, Bleed for This, starring Aaron Eckhart. The movie is based on the life of boxer, trainer, Kevin Rooney. In an interview, Mr. Echart said he takes seriously his part in accurately portraying a person. His preparation for the role in Bleed for This included more than just watching film of Mr. Rooney, getting the Statin Island accent correct, and looking the part; Mr. Eckhart needed to get totally into his character, to the point of having the voice of Mr. Rooney in his own head. A lot of people will see Aaron Eckart’s portrayal of Kevin Rooney. Mr. Echart will leave most of the movie viewers with their only glimpse into the man Kevin Rooney. Mr. Echart says it has to be done right, done well. (Based on a television interview)

Accurate portrayal isn’t limited to real people being portrayed in films; I read about one of the legendary actors putting a rock in his shoe to play the part of a character who was to have a limp. When Mr. Echart said he had to find the voice of Mr. Rooney in himself, he said that for actors he knows in Hollywood, this is what it is about. An actor becomes the person or the character his or she is portraying in film.

Film isn’t the only medium for this type of character portrayal. Millions of people each year see someone pretending to be Santa Claus. Some storefront Santas try hard, other barely hide their own nature, their own selves. Some years ago I heard of a man  who played Santa Claus fairly well, and wanted to do it better. He became so obsessed with his part he let his hair, already naturally white, grow so it appeared just like the traditional American Santa. Eventually he changed his name to Santa Claus. He became a year-round Santa Claus.

Getting into character is that it requires tapping into something within that is similar to what is within the character portrayed. Whether or not it is stage or film, or becoming a Santa, to do it well, to be believable, requires something like an inner force, a dynamic spirit, that constantly drives toward that perfect representation.

As humans, we are born with the knowledge of good and evil; it’s a legacy left us from the The Fall, from the failure in the Garden of Eden. This inner nature conflicts within us, so that we may be kind at times and be cruel at other times. We have the capabilities and the potential within us to be the most horrid creatures, to commit heinous acts, to be the worst of humanity. We can tap into this inner nature; it is our choice. The conflict within us is a battle between good and evil; this war destroys our inner peace.

Tapping into an inner nature of evil may work to make good a good film, but the actor or actress must return to whatever was his or her original life balance. Even people who are not actors can move toward “the dark side.” One way this happens is through influence by friends. Psalm 1 tells us “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers.” It’s a progression that leads a person into a place of no return. The remedy for this progression, as the Psalmist sees it is to “delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night.”

Failure is the only option for humans on our own; we simply cannot lead lives that are completely in tune with the good within us. This failure is spiritual death and there is one and only one way to avoid it. We must have a savior to deal with this duality of good and evil. Accepting Y’shuaJesus leads to being born again with a new inner nature. The new life yields forgiveness for the penalties of the bad nature within us and for us to be sealed for a new, eternal, spiritual life. This is the beginning of a new life in Messiah will we are on Earth. The next step has Christians spending their lives working on emulating one person—Y’shuaJesus. This Christlikeness, if you will, is one of the core teachings of the Apostles. Apostle John put it this way:

The one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked. 1 John 2:6

Christians begin to “walk in the same manner” and their progress is toward becoming like Y’shuaJesus in this world. Not long ago, a popular phrase was What would Jesus Do? It’s meant as a reminder to act according to an understanding of how Jesus would act. This understanding takes work, however. Just as an actor would study the character he or she is to represent, so the Christian must study the Bible. This study isn’t confined to the Words in Red contained in the Gospel Books; “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16)

To be complete. To be whole. Without Y’shuaJesus we are incomplete. We can know no peace. Not true inner peace. We can know no joy. Not true inner joy.

Millions are called; few are chosen. Be one of the few.