So I'm going through my hundreds of channels of nothing last night, provided by Time Warner Cable, and I come across the new reality show "Shark Tank". I really can't stand reality shows and when this one previewed, I told myself that I definitely don't want to watch one with a bunch of self made millionaires flaunting their money and criticism to destroy peoples hopes of them investing in their businesses. What I saw disgusted me and immediately reminded me why I wanted to avoid watching this show. Check out the video that I downloaded and posted above of last nights episode.
Kimberly is the lady with a sports bra company. She is trying to convince this panel of five gentleman why they should invest in her company. After she gives her presentation, they each take a turn in giving criticism on why or why not her company will succeed. Then they say "I'm in" or "I'm out" of making her an offer. All of them bail on her, but it's Kevin's (bald white guy) response that really hit me to the core. He basically called Kimberly a "nothing" and "a waste of time". He made her out to be a failure and chose humiliation to call her out. After he chops her down, the rest of the panel suggests that he was a little out of line except for Robert (distinguished guy with hair). Robert totally disagrees with how Kevin handled the situation. They argue, and towards the end of the argument Kevin blurts out "Life is hard, and then you die", and is convinced that everybody is in this boat with him. Wow....what a shallow pathetic excuse of a man. A man who puts all of his trust and security in his money. A man who obviously does not know God. A man who is going down big time and wants to take as many as he can with him. Is this really the American Dream? Is this what it's all about? Why does business have to be about chewing people up and spitting them out just to make a few bucks? What gets me the most is that there are millions of people who are just like him, and some idiot thought it would be a good idea to produce a show about them. And then there are idiots like me who actually watch this crap. That was the only time I will watch this show and it was just out of pure curiosity and boredom.
The ironic thing about this is the timing. I have been blogging lately about how I'm trying to simplify my life (family included). All of my life, I thought that that is what we are supposed to strive for. I thought that money is what made a man. My family was poor when I was a kid (by income standards) and I was determined to never be that way again. I tried hard to do the right things that would land me in corporate America. I went into the military, used the GI Bill to get an education, got a degree in architecture, worked for an architect, married a smart and successful woman, and before we knew it, we were making tons of money. Then I met God. Things started to change, but I still pursued money and all of it's luxuries. I was lying to myself. I was telling myself that God doesn't care if we have nice stuff. Truth is, I don't think He does, unless it interferes with our relationship with Him. So then I played the game of trying to honor Him with it. But that didn't work because I was only saying it and not being about it. Then He calls me on this mission trip to Honduras. My eyes were open all this time, but I was closing my heart to Him. I was denying Him. In Honduras, He got through to me. He told me that I need to get rid of this excessive stuff (house, cars, nice things....). He wants me to get back to my roots. I don't have to be poor again, but I don't have to trust in my money as much either.
So now we are trying to sell our house in this unforgiving market. We are putting all of our trust in God to be in control of this, or at least trying to. It's very hard to totally trust Him. I feel a huge burden of putting my family in this situation and this neighborhood. I detest where we live with all of my heart. At first, I was dangerously proud of where we live, and now I am embarrassed to have friends visit. This house and community is not us. I have been thinking of our first house with all of it's outdated wall paper. The rooms were cramped but cozy. The neighborhood was nice and the neighbors actually came out and talked almost every evening. I miss that. I want so desperately to get us back to that.
I went to bed last night thinking about that stupid TV show. Maybe that Kevin guy actually did do Kimberly a favor. Maybe her business will fail miserably. Maybe she will pull completely out and not get caught up in the lie of chasing money. Maybe, if she hasn't already, she will find God and with that find real happiness. I'm not saying that you shouldn't pursue your passions, I'm just suggesting that the motive should be checked. Maybe her life will be a little easier, versus what the weasel Kevin said "Life is hard, and then you die" (If it's so hard, why does he choose to accept it that way anyway?). Then again, maybe her business will succeed and maybe she will lose herself. Maybe that is the American Dream. My dream has been to simplify. I dream of standing before God and asking Him if I did o.k. with what I had. My American dream is to love and serve my community to my best ability, and to do what Jesus would do. What's your American Dream?
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