The Christian Prize

I personally do not like reality shows... in fact I despise them and have made it a personal commitment to not watch anything that falls into the category of "reality". However, one day last year I found myself watching the strangest reality game show I have ever seen.

Six women had been selected to participate in this game, which consisted of putting their hand on a $10,000 wedding dress and not removing it, in the hopes of being the last one standing, and thus the only woman to go home with the beautiful gown.

As the women endured the agony of standing upright for hours on end with their hand tightly gripping a piece of the dress, they were consistently faced with new challenges by the game show hosts, such as being forced to wear high heel shoes, stand on a small wooden box without lifting their feet, and even holding a bouquet over their head.

In addition, at varying intervals of the game, the women were tempted with exquisite shoes, expensive wedding cakes, elaborate trips and romantic excursions, with each temptation being an effort to get them to lose sight of their goal of winning the dress and focus on ending the hardships they were enduring.

After 24 hours of standing in uncomfortable high heel shoes, bearing the painfully cold winter night, having no sleep and only brief moments of rest, their strength to continue towards their goal gradually diminished. The fervent willpower they had exhibited at the beginning of the game was nothing but a memory as they became consumed by their hardships - that they were tired, cold, hungry, emotionally unstable, and their feet, legs and back were in pain. Two of the women had gotten so weak and tired, that their mental capacities were affected, and they accidentally let go of the dress without even realizing it. It was during their weakest moments, that the host stepped in to try to entice them with appealing temptations.

The thought came to me, that this silly game show is a symbolization of the life of every woman. We each have so many goals in our hearts – to be a Godly woman, a passionate devoted wife, a patient and loving mother, a great employee, a good sister, a trusted friend. But at times life is hard, and it is during these times when we are broken, and desperate for relief of our pain, that the enemy comes in to steal, kill and destroy.

It is during these difficult times, those times when we are struggling in our marriages and relationships, that our willpower is weak, and we are more likely to succumb to temptations and turn our focus away from Christ.

When we are so desperate for a change, or a resolution to or problems, that we lose sight of the goal, it is then that we inadvertently let go of the prize. When our guard is down, and when we are weak and broken, the enemy will sweep in with empty promises that seem so appealing at the time, but as soon as we let go of the prize and lose our focus on Christ, the door is opened for Satan to continue pulling us in the wrong direction.

The “prize” for Christians, is knowing that we have Jesus living in our hearts daily, helping us through those rough times, and knowing that one day we can walk away with the ultimate reward, which will be eternal life in the heavenlies. Our heavenly Father is ours, to have and to hold. We merely have to choose to have him in our hearts, and to hold him so dear to our hearts that no temptations can separate us from choosing to follow Him