The Ultimate Reality Show

I’m not a huge fan of reality shows, but I can’t deny their popularity in today’s culture. There is just something about them that draws us in. For some reason, watching real people deal with situaitons as they are presented to them can be quite compelling. There are often “challenges” associated with these shows—things that can really push people’s buttons—and the contestants on these shows can come out looking like a hero or looking like a real jerk for the way they handle themselves. And no matter how hard they try to display a certain personna to project the image they want for themselves, eventually, the mask they are hiding behind falls away and their true colors really shine through. You can see the things that are truly important to them as displayed by their behavior—their will to push themselves beyond their perceived limits, their desire to “win” regardless of the cost, their motives behind why they do what they do, and the real reasons they have for making alliances with others. Sometimes, you see someone on one of these shows and you’re just like, “what are they thinking?!” Other times you see someone do something that truly inspires and motivates you to be a better person.

When I was a little girl, long before the term, “reality TV” ever came about, I remember playing, pretending like I was on TV. (It was usually a variety show—like Carol Burnette—but I digress…) I would perform for my imaginary audience. But I also clearly remember, when I’d mess up or do something that even I thought was too goofy, I would yell, “CUT!” Then I would compose myself and, when ready to be seen again by my loyal, invisible fans, I would say, “And…ready…NOW!” so the show could resume.

Yes, I know I was a dorky kid. My husband reminds me all the time when I tell him these stories. lol. But, the point is, even at that age, there were certain things in my life that I didn’t want others to see. I wanted to put forth a certain image and I tried to edit away all the imperfections. As a kid with few real friends, I longed for people to see me in my everyday life and for them to want to know me—just so long as they only knew the “me” I was when I was being incredibly funny, entertaining, and wonderful. And, no matter how hard I tried, eventually, my mask would also fall off too, and I would have to “cut” to a different scene before “someone” saw what I really was. Eventhough there wasn’t a “real” audience, I still wore this mask. I was inventing who I was and how I wanted to be perceived; I guess the mask was there for me as much as it was there for anyone else. I didn’t want to see my own imperfections.

You may be thinking, “I don’t ever want to go on a reality show. I would never want to open myself up for humiliation like that!” But the thing is, you are already on one. You are on the ultimate reality show and you have an audience of One. There is no cutting out the bad stuff. There is no hiding your mistakes. There is no personna you can put on that He can’t see through. This reality show is as real as it gets. The question is…as you’re living out this “show,” are your proud of the character you play? Are you satisfied with the image you’re projecting? Do you like what is revealed when your mask is pulled away?

Jesus is your audience. He DOES hear what you are saying and He sees what you’re doing—and, not just what you want Him to see when the cameras are on, but He sees the motives in your heart that you can hide in the darkness from everyone else.

And all this got me to thinking about the term…”reality shows.” Say it slowly. Reality. Shows. Reality shows us who we are. Reality shows our imperfections. Reality shows us sometimes ugly things about ourselves that need to be addressed. Reality makes us face challenges that divulge who we really are and the stuff we’re really made of. Our perhaps less-than-pure motives and our selfish desires being revealed…it’s not a pretty sight. But we all need a reality check from time to time so we can be shown our imperfections for the purpose of submitting them to the Lord for correction. We can try to “cut” those things out of the life that we allow people see, but they’re still there. And, until we deal with the root of these things operating in our hearts and our lives, they’re going to keep showing up. And, eventually, your mask will fall off and people will see them. As a matter of fact, your mask probably isn’t covering as much as you think it is anyway.

“The eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the Earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.” 2 Chronicles 16:9
 
You may hide from people. You may even hide from yourself. But you can’t hide from God. And He is looking for someone whose heart is completely His so that He can strongly support them…so that He can grow them into who He has made them to be…so that He can freely and extravagantly pour His love out upon them. But He can’t do any of that if you’re trying to lie to Him. He can’t do that if you’re trying to withhold your ugly little sins that you like to pretend don’t exist. Let’s just take a good, hard, honest look at ourselves and admit where we’re falling short. He already knows anyway. Let’s ask Him for help in those areas of our lives that are difficult to admit we have…ask Him to come into the ugly, dark recesses of our hearts, where we know we’re messing up, and ask Him to do a work in us so that our “show” can have a happy ending…the kind of ending where the Lord says, “Thou hast done well, my good and faithful servant.”