OUT TO PASTOR: It’s a soap opera world... or is it?

As a child, I remember my mother watching soap operas in the afternoon.

My mother would talk to the characters on TV telling them what they should be doing and saying. Several times, she yelled at them giving them instructions. I caught her with tears in her eyes over a certain situation; I could not tell you now what that situation was.

Although I never was much interested in soap operas, as I have gotten older (and I intend to get a lot older) I begin to see similarities. I am not an expert on soap operas by a long shot. However, it seems to me that our world has become a gigantic soap opera.

I have noticed TV has many “reality shows.” For my dime, I do not see much reality in any of these reality shows. I know I do not watch them so maybe I am missing something. However, what I do see is not reality, as I know it.

That brings me to a question. What in the world happened to reality in our culture today? I do not see it anywhere.

I understand that politics today is not based on any kind of reality known to man or woman. If we could get all politicians together in one room we maybe could find one tiny little gray cell that was working. However, it would not be overworked.

Where is the reality in politics? It is nothing but an overblown soap opera that nobody is really watching.

Not long ago when I was sick and could not get out of the house I watched some programs that were called “talk shows.” After listening for a little while, I concluded that a hummingbird made more sense than these people did on talk shows.

Of course, I got a little piece of advice from the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage. I was complaining about all of this non-reality around us and how many idiots were out there in the world. I just went on and on and on until finally she heard enough.

“Well,” she said rather strictly, “do you want to know what I think about all of this?”

Of course she did not give me an opportunity to say yes or no, she was ready to give me her thoughts on this anyway.

“Complain about all of the idiots out there all you want. But there’s a positive side to all of this.”

To tell you the truth, I could not see any positive side so I inquired as to what she was talking about.

“Very simply,” she replied, “if it were not for all of the idiots and crazy people out there I would not know how sane you really are.”

I had to have her repeat that a couple of times because that was well over my pay grade. It finally sunk in.

I complimented her on that and told her she really had a good point. If it weren’t for all of those crazy idiots out there in the world, how would we know how sane and wonderful we really are?

Paul said it best when he wrote, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:2).

The unreality of the world around me should not rob me of the reality of my relationship with God through Christ.

Dr. James L. Snyder is pastor of the Family of God Fellowship, and lives with the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage in Ocala, FL. Call him at 352-687-4240 or e-mail jamessnyder2@att.net . The church web site is www.whatafellowship.com.