Voted off the Island

Can a Christian win a reality show? I don’t think so.

I generally watch very few “reality” shows, because they really are not reality. It is showmanship and game play. People tend to separate it from real life. In fact in one episode of Big Brother a few seasons ago, one of the contestants who was flirting with another contestant told her fiance (who asked her to marry him on the show) to remember that what happened in the house was only for the game and didn’t mean anything. I couldn’t believe what I just heard and that her boyfriend was accepting of that! (I really want a clip of that if I can find it.)

Anyway, last night while I was watching Survivor – Redemption Island, another eye opening event occurred. The one contestant who openly professes to be Christian and talks of his faith was voted off the island. Why? Simply because he shook the hands of the opposing team to congratulate them on a job well done. I would call that good sportsmanship, but the “team leader” called it textbook game play and that strategy was being deployed too soon. So any and every action in reality shows is seen as “game play”, not character, and so based solely on that action, the contestant was voted “off the island”.

Reality shows are developed by “the world” and it encourages lying, deception, greed, etc. I do not believe that a Christian would be able to participate in that environment, and if they did, their “Christian character” and faith would be questioned and mocked. So what is a Christian to do? They won’t win the big money exemplifying Christ’s love, because the world rejects Christ, and if they compromise their faith, they are called hypocrites and damage their character.

Let’s translate that into real life… do we maintain a “Christian” character in the work place? Do we “play the game” and “play the ‘Christian’ card” at church and then compromise those principles at work or during the week? Are you willing to endure the hardships and non-acceptance of others to follow Christ?

The children in your ministry are looking for someone who is genuine, they will easily see if you are a “fake”, just “playing the game”. So which are you? Are you genuine, or a game player?