When it comes to how much of a flop is a certain movie, it doesn't take a rocket scientist (or even a mathematician to understand it). It merely takes a couple of bits of subtraction. So and so is taken away from so and so, giving you so and so. Simple.
That total leaves you with several "flops" this summer. Several. I use one for a an example, Mars Needs Moms. This company spent at least $150 million on the production of the movie (which does not include monies spent on advertising). It has earned $21.4 million at the box office. That revenue stream does not split 3-D and We don't believe Shia hurt himself because he didn't get the 3-D revenues. Many people like myself, do not go to the 3-D version because we see no need. My wife, Mary, and I went to see the actors in Transformers in 3-D because we had heard and read the extra monies spent on filming completely in 3-D was worth it. I wished everyone felt the same way we did, so that the 2-D version wasn't even made or that all versions were 3-D. But several of the 3-D movies this summer clearly had no reason to be 3-D. Companies are very reluctant to give anyone real figures at this point.
This is a religion blog, however, so let's get back to things spiritual.God said at the end of the third chapter of Malachi, the final book of the New Testament, "You ask, 'But how do we return (from captivity in Babylon)? Begin by being honest. Do honest people rob God? But you rob me day after day. You ask, 'How have we robbed you?' The tithe and the offering -- that's how. And now you're under a curse -- the whole lot of you -- because you're robbing me. Bring your full tithe to the Temple treasury so there will be ample provisions in my Temple. Test me in this and see if I don't open up heaven itself to you and pour out blessings beyond your wildest dreams. For my part, I will defend you against marauders, protect your wheat fields and vegetable gardens against plunderers. The Message of God-of-the-Angel-Armies. You will be voted Happiest Nation. You'll experience what it's like to be a country of grace. God-of-the-Angel-Armies says so.' "
In other words, if you're not tithing -- physically the 10 percent of all that you make before or after you are paid by your employer, 10 percent of spiritual gifts you're given by God, 10 percent of the time you're given in life by God -- then God has little for you. If you do tithe money, time, abilities, then you will experience the blessings of God as a country of grace -- a magnificant title at worst.
God closes his message to Malachi by saying, "God will give special treatment to the descendants of Jacob because those people need to be treated with the "same consideration and kindness that parents give a child who honors them. "Once more you will see the difference it makes between being a person who does the right thing and one who doesn't, between serving God and not serving him."
The final words given to Malachi are these: "...look ahead. I'm sending Elijah the prophet to clear the way for the Big Day of God -- the decisive Judment Day. He will convince parents to look after their children and children to look up to their parents. If they refuse, I'll come and put the land under a nose."
Last words, those.
Today one needs to look at what the final words of the Old Testament say, and what they mean. The "Elijah" is John the Baptist, who comes to clear the way for the Judgment Day by clearing the way for Jesus. Jesus is sent to convince parents to look after their children and children to look up to their parents. Period. End of story, much less end of our children if they don't cling to the one who made them. Jesus had the much-harder role, that of convincing parents to look after their children and children of God to look up to their parents. What did he have to work with? Us. In our pre-reborn state.
A book was opened and read periodically. We now know this material as the Old Testament. And in that periodical reading, Jesus was supposed to be announced, mentioned, and the Good News was supposed to be their Good news. But the fact is it's nearly impossible to "get" Jesus in a few minutes time as you "get" on or off the bus, the train, the plane or even the car pool. John mentions the Christ, and we're supposed to be TRANSFORMED into God's children. Quickly. Without a thundering moment among them.
So then how? How do we reset the alarm clock without alarm?
No one says, in the reading of Malachi, that this is going to be easy. No one. Jason, our son, wants things to be easy. He talks to his child and wants things to be changed immediately. Carrie, one of our daughters. wants it to be changed even easier. She wants the words to flow out of the children of God's moments. Easy, breesy. I don't blame her. I want to BE her, at times.
But in the end, all of us have to be the children and grand-children of the Living God who we are. No one gets to rename anyone without Jesus. No one. None. We all must dance on down the yellow-brick road ... together. Sorry. Together without the blame game, it is. Wow...I feel like Yoda all of a sudden.
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