As is the case with many of us, I occasionally will take the time to watch a few of the reality shows on TV that focus on the day-to-day drama of people that we don’t know and really don’t care that much about. It seems that we can relate to their situations or to their storylines and that is what draws us in to the show. I have found that some shows will draw me in to the point where I want to watch from week to week to see how everything will turn out.
Unfortunately, the drama on these shows never really resolves itself. Nobody seems to really learn anything . . . nobody seems to have a real change of heart . . . and their lives never really have any significant change. Although it may seem that they have a personal “Ah Ha!!” moment at the end of each episode, the drama finds a new script, new characters and new plots each week. In reality, nothing really changes. Quite frankly, they are addicted to the drama of their lives. They profit by selling it to a public thirsty for more drama.
The real scary part of these latest reality TV shows is that there is a growing lust for more and more drama while nobody really learns anything from them other than to speak, think and act in an immature fashion despite their age or lot in life. This does have an impact on our society and our kids. It has an impact on Christians and non-Christians alike. Quietly, many of us want to be just like them.
In the Bible, the book of Proverbs speaks often about wisdom. Wisdom, quite frankly, is the opposite of drama. If we all made choices to live in a Christ-like manner in every life decision we made . . . in every word we spoke . . . in every thought we have . . . many of us could avoid and would choose to avoid the drama we develop in our own lives and, quite frankly, would turn away from the TV filled reality shows that distort the way we should interact with one another.
Proverbs 3:29-32 states “Do not plan to do something wrong to your neighbor while he is sitting with you and suspecting nothing. Do not quarrel with a person for no reason if he has not harmed you. Do not envy a violent person. Do not choose any of his ways. The devious person is disgusting to the Lord. The Lord’s intimate advice is with decent people.”
After reading that, I was convicted in my own heart about my own desire to watch many of the shows. If you find that you gain pleasure watching these shows or that you favor a particular character because of how they behave, take a moment and read . . . study if you will, Proverbs Chapters 1 -4 which talk about wisdom. God’s Wisdom is ours for the asking.
BTW, if you really want to take a bite out of most reality shows . . . go and read Proverbs chapter 5 on adultery . . . or chapter 6 which talks about avoiding disaster by the way you think and act . . . or chapter 7, which is even more advice on avoiding adultery . . . I’m just saying. It is time we start to look at the world around us and how we choose to interact with it.
-Pastor Chris Blackburn
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Well said Pastor..
ReplyDelete