Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: Help (02/20/06)
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TITLE: The Life You've Always Wanted for No Money Down | Previous Challenge Entry
By Kevin Kaiser
02/24/06 -
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I was about to call it quits and do something constructive with my life when they burst onto the screen—hand in hand on a white sand beach, the sun smoldering in molten hues on the horizon. Johnny and Susie, two obnoxiously beautiful people bronzed from lazy days in the sun, stepped to the camera and bubbled, “Do you want to live a life of leisure, limitless possibility and have the things you’ve always wanted, but couldn’t afford?”
I leaned forward a bit. “You bet I do,” I said under my breath.
“You bet you do! And we’re going to show you how you can have the life you’ve always dreamed of by following our easy, four step program for buying real estate with no money down. Let’s go to Miami an…”
Blah, blah, blah…click. I flipped the TV off and settled back into our leather couch. Slick salesmen capitalizing on peoples’ discontent. Shameless. I sat there for a minute before I felt a twinge of something in my gut. Then it worked its way up from my heart and exploded in my brain before I had a chance to stop it: That’s you on the screen, buddy. That’s you.
I sat there for a minute and wondered, Now, where did that come from? But, I already knew the answer. I began thinking about it, and realized that the still, gnawing voice might be right. But, I wasn’t convinced. After all, I went to a Christian university, have never cheated on my wife or my taxes, and certainly don’t pander to other peoples’ desperation. I speak the truth.
Oh, really? The voice said again.
Then the thought hit me: why do people dial the 800-numbers and order the “no-risk, trial offer, your satisfaction guaranteed or your money back” systems? I think it’s for one reason. Hope. People are starved for hope—light to shine in their darkness and adventure to swallow the terrible bore that is their life. They want their marriages to be better, their spouses to be hotter and their bank accounts to be fatter. And the infomercials capitalize on that. To be sure, it’s good marketing. But, how true must the disclaimer at the bottom of the screen be for most people—“Unique Results. Your experience will be different.”
Your experience will be different.
“Dear God,” I said out loud, “He’s right. I’m a peddler, a capitalist infomercial for the Gospel.” Needless to say, I didn’t like that idea. But, the Truth is often like a poke in the eye…with a sharp stick.
You may ask what I mean. I am guilty of speaking a message to those in the darkness that has probably hurt more than it has helped. People are starved for hope, so I’ve given it to them infomercial style.
You want lazy days in the sun and a life of limitless possibility and mind-numbing prosperity? Get down with the “JC” my friends and follow my Twelve Steps to the Life You’ve Always Wanted. The best part is, you can have it for no money down! Follow Christ and your marriage will be better, your spouse will be hotter, and your pockets will swell with C-notes. He is the Truth, my friends, but look what He can DO for you.
Blah, blah, blah…click. How sad it is that, at times, I’ve couched the message of Christ as something that entitles its followers to a cosmic Powerball ticket. All fluff and no substance. No risk. Jesus didn’t preach the Kingdom because it would be necessarily helpful to us. He blasted his way into our world because He is the Truth.
Now, when I speak with someone about Christ, I give them both barrels of the truth. Your experience will be different, I tell them. Even if we were all broke, ugly and unfulfilled in our jobs, following Him would still be worth it because He’s worth it. And we do it because of Who He is and not what He can do for us. Telling them otherwise hurts them more than it helps.
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Your wording, "Get down with JC" - very clever.