Award Shows

By Bob Hansen

There seems to be a terrible proliferation of award shows on TV. These are shows about shows: movies and TV programs that have aired in the past. We’ve all heard of The Academy Awards and the People’s Choice Awards, but new, similar shows are added all the time. (An inside scoop here: This year watch for the debut of the Fido Awards in which household animals vote for “best pet in a dramatic series” and “funniest comedic pet.”)

You may have guessed that I have little interest in these shows, but my wife sometimes enjoys watching them. While studying this discrepancy of opinion, I discovered three reasons why these “artificial” (my word) programs appeal to her.
First, and most obvious, she is interested to see who wins in the various categories. But her attraction to these shows goes much deeper.

Second, through polite questioning, I discovered that many females are attracted to these shows because of fashion. This had totally gone over my head. This should have been obvious, revealed by the post award show commentaries. A good portion of the rehash is dedicated to the clothing selections worn by the stars. (Of course, what the men wore is largely ignored.) Great attention is paid to the fashion sense, and, or, the appropriateness of various dresses worn by women. What an odd phenomenon.

The next level of my wife’s fascination was hidden even deeper than the first two. It was only by careful observation that I caught wind of this point. My wife’s running commentary tipped me off. “So and so” (I’ve forgotten the name) “also starred in the movie_____” (I’ve forgotten what she said) “and was married to” (I can’t remember) “until they divorced. Now she is dating ____.” (some other nameless actor)

Then it dawned on me. To my wife this was not just a competition about the best movie or the best leading performances. She, as a relational being, realized that these faces on the screen were representations of real people, not mere pixels. She perceived them as having complex, intertwining lives of great fascination. What an eye-opener for me.

All this made me think about how I would devise an awards show for men. It would be like a sports banquet, I think. There would be much talk about how certain teams that crushed their opponents, humiliating them before their fans. And stats—lots of impressive stats! There would be video clips showing bone-splintering collisions on the field, the kind that make you wince with admiration.

Let’s be clear. These heroes are helmeted warriors. No one would be talking about the fashion-correctness of their uniforms. No one would refer to them as if they had private lives. We know they do, but it’s considered irrelevant.

When it came time for the awards themselves, a drum roll will lead up to the announcement. The moment of truth has arrived. Months of bragging rights hinge on the winner. At the pronouncement the victors whoop and cheer and strut about.

The less fortunate will fall into a state of dejected crying. (Just kidding about the crying.) Instead, they will act in the lofty ways men are well known for. They will protest the decision, demanding a recount. They will stomp their feet and shout complaints in an endearing display of male whining. Then a referee will appear and call a technical foul. The guilty party will accept this gracefully, like men usually do. He will holler louder, pointing his finger at the referee and calling his character into question, then stomp away in a display of masculine pouting. When written out like this, the man’s award show sounds less noble that it really would be.

In thinking about these contrasts, it occurred to me that there is another type of award show—the kind that relates to God’s kingdom. The Bible speaks about rewards that God will hand out. Although our salvation is not based on good works, it seems that God still wishes to reward the things He values—things like faith.

Fashion will not be an issue in the kingdom of God’s award show. Physical beauty will not be lauded. Strength or physically superiority will not be praised. Humility will reign. The dominant theme of acceptance speeches will be the all-encompassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus. He is the creator of all things and in Him all things hold together. “For, of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things. To Him be the glory forever! Amen.” Romans 11:36

Bob Hansen writes from Chehalis, Oregon. bhansen6@juno.com