Recently this reality show (Survivor) was resurrected (in my view anyway) with the edition of one new twist—redemption island. What an incredible idea!
Usually, when someone is voted off—that’s it. They go home, or, at best, they become a part of the jury if they lasted a respectable amount of time before being given the axe. But redemption island provides a new angle to the game—the chance to get back at all those traitors who were pretending to be your friend.
The first time they introduced this change to the game—a player named Matt won every challenge on redemption island and, as a result, earned a second shot at the traitors who sent him into exile.
So what did he do with his second shot at life.
The exact same thing he did the first time—he trusted the very people who duped him in round one! At first I was really rooting for the guy—after all, he was blindsided, stabbed in the back, done dirty—and he was great at the challenges and a real threat—wouldn’t it be cool to see him come back and pick the conniving weaklings off one by one? Sure it would! And you’d root for the same thing if you were watching it.
Only he didn’t. He trusted snakes and ended up bit.
So sad. I was also rooting for him because he was a Christ follower and very outspoken about his faith. I’m glad he was a meek and gentle example of Jesus, but Jesus was no Mr. Rogers. That’s why He said in Matthew 10:16,
“I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.”
We need to live above reproach in order to be a witness with credibility in this messed up world. However, we need to be leery as well. Satan is on the prowl, and he’s looking for victims who aren’t paying attention. People who are naïve—and too trusting. Matt did a great job telling others about Jesus on Redemption Island—a great job showing the innocence of a dove. But he forgot the world’s full of wolves, so, when he returned to camp he should have leaned more on the “shrewd as a snake” part of the verse.
Alas, he didn’t—sad to see him go.
Too bad he wasn’t shrewd as well. Scripture also commends this trait when observed at the proper time and in the proper place…like back in a camp full of wolves in sheep’s clothing. Luke 16:8 commends this kind of shrewdness.
“The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light.”
There’s a time and place for everything—even caution and suspicion.
I didn’t say, paranoia—but a little less naïveté and a little more cunning could help a lot of Christ followers I know.
PS – Can’t wait to join the Southbrook family at our Monroe Campus live THIS weekend! It’s been way too long. So invite your friends and let’s make a party of it!