Ken was Charlene’s youth pastor in Santa Cruz and I lived with them for about a year while attending Bethany University. Ken and Lori are currently the senior pastors of an Assemblies of God church in So. Cal. Although we were excited to see the first episode of the season and see Ken and Austin on the show, it was heart breaking to see the pain on their faces as the contestants take off their shirts, step on a scale and reveal to themselves and the world their current weight. As Lori stated on their fan page:
“Ken explained why the show makes everyone take off their shirts. Before you can change any area of your life, you have to be able to admit your sin. Baring their chests to the world is an admission of the reality of their weight ... and honestly begins the road to healing. So, yes - we know that it is embarrassing for the contestants, but it is also the path to wholeness .” – Ken and Austin Andrew’s Biggest Loser Fan Page
In each season with most of the contestants this initial revealing brings shame, remorse, and pain, and they openly weep or humbly stand there with raw honesty. The show offers a very real parallel to each of us who live in sin and seek righteousness. The Apostle Paul shares this process in Romans 6:15-23 (check it out), by the choice of either being a slave to sin or a slave to righteousness. The first step to healing and wholeness (a life of righteousness) is the corrective action of repentance, and the only way we change course is through a humbling reality check. Paul makes the statement:
What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! – Romans 6:21
Wow! As my friend and the other contestants stand on the scale that is exactly how they are feeling and those things (overeating, zero physical activity) will result in an early death. Paul concludes this thought with the earned consequences of our choices, actions and path of life:
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 6:23
One of the contestants as they had just worked out for hours, passing out, vomiting and in complete exhaustion said with a look of expectation and hope “I feel like I have just won the lottery”. For weeks through hours of hard physical training, being yelled at by Jillian, passing out, standing on a scale and being separated from family and friends, yet ALL of the contestants express how the show is a great gift that will change their life. God offers us this gift and its results are for eternity.
If you are on facebook join us as fans of Ken and Austin Andrew’s Biggest Loser Fan Page.
Pastor Tim,
ReplyDeleteThanks for mentioning your friends, who are appearing on The Biggest Loser, in your message this morning. I took the time to read your blog this afternoon. It made me wonder to myself, "What would it take to get me to pull off my shirt and step on a scale in front of millions of other Americans?"
It only took a second for me to reply to myself, "A bucket of KFC original recipe. That'd do it"
Seriously, thanks for your weekly blog. It makes me ponder life and appreciate our Lord.
Stan