The apprentice(s)

17Sep
by Jon Swanson

“Last thing before you go.  These aren’t your friends. Work as hard as you can.”

Those were Donald Trump’s last words to the new group of people trying for a job with him. A dozen people who have been affected by the challenges of the economy are competing against each other. Each week, one will be fired. The last one will have a job.

It makes great TV. Men against women. Serious people against game players. People with five kids needing a job against people who have a job but just think that life owes them more.

However, for the people in the middle of it, it makes a terrible life. You are already feeling beat up and now you have to work for your redemption with people who are only working with you as long as it benefits them. And for the sake of the game, for the sake of a job, these cannot be friends. They are always competitors.

I have to contrast that with the instructions Jesus gave his disciples after they left the board room, heading for the garden.

My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.

Disciples, a kind of apprentices, don’t win by bumping others. They win by loving, in the way that Jesus has been loving them for three years.  They win by moving from servants to friends, from mindless to mindful.

It makes lousy TV. Oh well.

7 thoughts on “The apprentice(s)”

  2. Matt's avatar

    Matt

    Does it make for lousy TV? Trump may be in a position to give all twelve contestants a job, and what if he did that with the offer of unfettered access to his knowledge and experiences and resources? That would make for the most compelling stories, I think. There could be a Matthias and a there could be a Paul.

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    1. Jon Swanson's avatar

      Jon Swanson

      Most story that sells, the kind on TV, depends on competition, on someone coming in second (or last). And Mr. Trump, with his public persona of competition and firing and valuing business ruthlessness above all, would have a hard time with a season of nice. It wouldn’t fit. It would be delightful, however.

      Of course, drawing on your comment, Jesus was offering “unfettered access to his knowledge and resources and experience”. Still is.

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  3. Rich Dixon's avatar

    Rich Dixon

    Seems kinda un-American. If I don’t compete and crush the competition, how will I get more stuff and know I’m the best? Like Donald said, “Money is how we keep score.”

    You’re right–Jesus’ way doesn’t fit. Oh well.

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