Bigger than Big Brother
Gemma Adam
This year's Celebrity Big Brother caused international outrage as the back-stabbing and bullying, already familiar to viewers of this show, reached new heights! The world's 20th most influential person, Jade Goody, singer, Jo O'Meara and model, Danielle Lloyd revealed another side to themselves. They showed that underneath their wealth, glamour and celebrity status they are like the rest of us, sinful human beings.
Its easy to be appalled by the behaviour in the Big Brother house as we think smugly to ourselves 'I would never do a thing like that' but are we really so innocent? Even Davina had to admit that bubbly Ian, silky smooth Dirk and loving Cleo were not entirely blameless themselves, as she asked them all 'why didn't you do something to stop the bullying?!' I think this goes to show the truth of some words from the bible:
'There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away.' Romans 3 v 11-12
This certainly sounds a very damning report on human kind but when we look at the world around us (so much injustice and pain on a much greater scale than that in the Big Brother house) and even when we look at our own lives – isn't there a ring of truth in this?
We may never agree to be locked in a house where we are filmed 24 hours a day, we hate to think of the horrors people would see in us! But there is one from whom we can never hide - God. The maker of heaven and earth, the creator and sustainer of every living thing, the Lord of all. He knew us from the moment we were knit together in our mother's womb and he has witnessed every action and every thought we have made since. How does it make you feel that every unkind word you have ever spoken, every dishonest act, every 'sin' has been recorded by God? The bible explains that actually sin is much bigger than this, worse than being unkind and spiteful, worse than racist bullying. Sin is ignoring and disobeying our creator. The worst thing we can ever do is to ignore God and not allow him his rightful place in our lives and this is something for which we are all guilty : 'There is no one righteous, no one who seeks God'.
It was a huge surprise to Jade, Jo and Danielle when they eventually left the Big Brother house and saw the massive repercussions (on an international scale!) of what they had thought were insignificant remarks. In the house they were blissfully unaware of the fuss going on outside and the record number of complaints being made to channel 4 as a result of their behaviour! We too need to be careful. We mustn't be fooled into thinking that our actions now are not a big deal. Every one of us, rich or poor, celebrity or 'common', Indian or English, all of us will one day face the judgement of God. The repercussions of living a life in deliberate disobedience to the living God are massive. Jade, Jo and Danielle have been 'punished' for their sins in the Big Brother House. Facing the 'boos' of hundreds of angry viewers, the loss of modelling contracts and perfume sales is all very well. But this is nothing compared to facing the anger of God himself.
Is this not a very gloomy verdict? - Not one of us has lived a life which is good enough for God. Every wrong thing we have ever done has been seen by God and one day each of us will face God's judgement for our wrongdoing.
But there is hope!... Our creator has seen our predicament and provided a way out. In his great love, he sent his son Jesus to earth. Jesus is the only person to ever live who did not sin. He is the only person who we could watch 24 hours a day 7 days a week for his whole life and never see him do a thing wrong. This made him uniquely able to make peace between humanity and God. He did this by dying on a cross in our place, taking the punishment for the sins we have all committed and opening the way back to God.
'For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God' 1 Peter 3 v 18.
God longs for us to give up our rebellion against him and turn back to him. All that is left for us to do is to confess our wrongdoing and accept this free gift of forgiveness through Jesus' death.
'Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him' John 3 v36
If you would like to know more about Jesus and the love and forgiveness he offers, please do get in touch with us.