"Reality TV" has slowly, but steadily crept up from novelty to mainstream status. No matter what channel we tune in to, and regardless of the time of day, we are bound to come across a laundry list of programs claiming to feature some sort of "reality." There are even entire cable channels dedicated to this genre of programming, including one called "TruTV."
Some of these programs make it harder and harder to draw the line between fantasy and fiction or to tell what is really real or truly true. In fact, in some cases, the lines are deliberately blurred. When we watch these shows, our eyes really do see what is shown, but what is shown may not actually show what really needs to be seen in each scene to see if what we are seeing is "real."
Take entertainer Chris Brown's recent "outburst" on Good Morning America. Even as I mentioned it in my last blog, I kept wondering if his ranting and storming off shirtless onto the street was nothing more than a publicity stunt to sell his album. Based on how well his sales have gone, his interview reaction and other recent actions may have indeed been mere acting.
If so, I'm not sure which is worse--boldly maintaining a rage problem in spite of domestic violence charges, or capitalizing off of his recent violent episode with Rihanna (something that occurred two years ago is not ancient history) to stir up a fan base and boost album sales.
What's probably just as bad as either of those scenarios is the fact that agents and media executives shamelessly bait talented people into giving up the reality of who they are in exchange for portraying themselves as whomever or whatever it takes to make a dollar, all while claiming to "keep it real." We see this displayed everywhere from the Maury show, to the Bachelor/Bachelorette, to the "Real Housewives" series. Whatever monetary gain these "real" people receive for their choreographed antics, I suspect it pales in comparison to what the executives and handlers behind the scenes rake in. Excuse me, but I have to keep it real. That sounds suspiciously like pimping. And, I guess, as long as we are buying it, they will keep selling it.
Friends, God tells us in 1 Corinthians 3:19 that the "wisdom of this world is foolishness with God." The world's media and entertainment executives have wisely and correctly concluded that people are so hungry for what is "real" in life that many are willing to accept any version of reality that is offered. But, those of us who answer to a higher authority need to utilize Godly wisdom and our God-given talents to help others see that some of the foolishness we are being fed through the airways of world is only dumbing us down and fattening us up for slaughter.
Those of us whom God has gifted in arts, entertainment and business need to be setting the standard, not getting swept away with the tide. "For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago." (Ephesians 2:10)
The reality is that many of us "used to live just like the rest of the world, full of sin, obeying Satan, the mighty prince of the power of the air. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God....All of us used to live that way, following the passions and desires of our evil nature...."(Ephesians 2:2-3). Although we have thankfully found a "more excellent way" to live our lives, once we are saved, we are not called to give up our gifts, but rather to give them over to God to use for His glory.
In these troubling times, the world desperately wants and needs to know what life is really all about. And, though we are called, like Jesus, to be in the world but not of the world, while we are here let's do whatever it takes to broadcast the Good News: That God has a plan for our lives; Jesus gave His life for us to live out that plan eternally; God's Holy Spirit empowers us to live out that plan and; we can experience the goodness of the Lord in this life. No monthly cable fees or hidden charges to tune into this program. It's a real deal and it's THE real deal.
BNcouraged!
Rev. Karen
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