August 28, 2011
Okay. I think I am probably going to be judged here, but, here goes anyway. I am a
Big Brother fan. There. I said it. Not always proud of it. I know it's not the most wholesome TV show. (Honestly, it's slim pickings out there in TV land.) Often, it is a really good lesson in how NOT to behave. But, it's entertaining nonetheless.
If you're not familiar with
Big Brother, it is a television show where contestants are locked in a house full of cameras and microphones, completely secluded from the outside world. They must compete with other house guests for a chance to win $500,000. It's always interesting because you just never know what to expect and the show has even adopted a motto of "
Expect the Unexpected". They play games to compete for power, luxuries, safety, privileges, and food.
Anyway, this season has not disappointed with an interesting and eclectic cast of characters. One house guest in particular is named Jordan. She has played and won Big Brother in a previous season. She does not have a mean, vindictive bone in her body and I genuinely like her a lot. There is another woman in the house named Shelly. She is the mother of an eight year old daughter that she had to leave behind for the summer. So, there was this competition where everyone competed for "
the power of veto" (which can be used to save someone/themselves from being evicted from the house) but, each competitor also received an additional prize, either good or bad. Okay. So Jordan wins "
24 hours in solitary confinement that includes a phone call from home". By this time, any house guest would consider solitary confinement a small price to pay for a phone call from home.
Listen. I went on a cruise for 5 days and I called my kids EVERY SINGLE DAY! By the second day, I was literally crying every time I sat still long enough to let myself think of them for more than 5 minutes.
Imagine how precious that phone call would be to ANY mother. Including Jordan's mother on the outside who has not spoken to her daughter in forever! But, my sweet little Jordan decided to take one for the team and she gave Shelly the phone call from home! Without a moment's hesitation. I heart her! (By the way, Jordan ended up winning the sentence of wearing a "
humilitard" for a week! She was still unfazed.)
 |
| On the front is an arrow pointing up saying "I'm with Stupid" and on the back it reads "Kick Me" |
Yes, Jordan and Shelly were in an alliance trying to keep each other safe in the game until it came down to brass tacks and they were forced to fight for themselves to win. But still. Jordan demonstrated unselfishness, true friendship, and human compassion.
Fast forward. Shelly has now flipped sides against Jordan. After bawling her eyes out from being
SO GRATEFUL for what Jordan did for HER. Proclaiming that she would
NEVER forget the kindness shown.... blah blah blah. As soon as Jordan turned her back Shelly jabbed that sweet little sugar booger with a knife. (Okay. Devil's advocate. Shelly is playing a game to win money to benefit HER family.)
I get the whole
family comes first thing. I have a family that I would die for. And I would not die for very many people. But, isn't there a different way? Can't you still put YOUR family first and still be loving and loyal and compassionate and respectful to your
friends?
We all fail in the friendship department from time to time. But, I want to consistently be more of
Jordan than a
Shelly. I want to be there for my friends when they need me. I want it to be as natural as breathing in and out. And when it's not, I want to do it anyway. I want the
choice to be a no-brainer. Honestly, it's a wonderful feeling to be that person that someone turns to when they need someone. It's an honor and a blessing. It fills me up. But mostly, it's who God would want me to be.
"Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you." John 15:13-15
"As soon as he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. And Saul took him that day and would not let him return to his father's house. Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, and his armor, and even his sword and his bow and his belt." 1Samuel 18:1-4
"Now when Job's three friends heard of all this evil that had come upon him, they came each from his own place, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad teh Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. They made an appointment together to come to show him sympathy and comfort him. And when they saw him from a distance, they did not recognize him. And they raised their voices and wept, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads toward heaven. And they sat with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his suffering was very great." Job 2:11-13
