I have not given much thought to television reality shows. It seems of little value to me to expend my limited resource of time pondering the “What ifs” of situations involving people of such differing values from mine. 
God answers all the “What ifs” I have ever considered with a resounding “I’ve got this!”
So when the odd thought passed my mind this morning concerning the value of someone in community I wondered if that was the moral ambiguity reality shows are striving to resolve. Is it possible that the designers and creators of these shows are simply trying to play god? For God alone is able to comprehend and assess the value and impact of each life. I may see an outward value to someone with strong muscles or a kind demeanor or demonstrating above average intelligence. I may even in an esoteric sense ponder their unseen talents and their influence on the community.
Community is localized. It is friends, family, churches, coworkers, team mates, even nationalities. Community is a binding and closeness that brings us security, safety, belonging and even hope. We group together with common interests; which is one of the conflicting issues of reality shows. In the few pieces I have witnessed, there is little commonality between the participants other than “I want to win”. Now I admit to the best of my recollection I have never watched an entire session of any reality show, and certainly not an entire series. (Remember the “waste of time” comment?) So when I consider a person’s value I am probably not in tune with the concept as it is presented in these imaginative scenarios. I do recall from high school days the psychological test where given the choice of five attributes or personalities, who would you want to be stranded on a remote deserted island with. And I suppose that may be where the reality shows spring from.
Then my mind wanders to ask “What value do I bring to community?” And which community do I most desire to bring the greatest value to? Is it in my marriage, family, work, church, school or some other? Each has its own response. Yet in each, the greater my input to the community, the greater the return in value I receive from the community. Community yields varying rewards for participation. In most it is some measure of love, intimacy, companionship, respect and purpose. And unfortunately, to a great degree it is the ones who agree with my concept of right and wrong, methods and means which garner the greatest rewards and response from me. I do not always like that. Sometimes I want to be heavily engaged with those who disagree, with those who challenge my ideas and predispositions. I often feel a need to be challenged by opposing views or conclusions. I need to be able to ascertain that I have validated my premise and reasoned the evidence to a right conclusion. For example, when I am asked, “Does God really exist?” I respond “He says He does”. That is not a trite response but a well reasoned and validated one.
Community does that if and only if it is an accepting open community where the liberty of dissent is promoted and protected as much as the value of being right according to me. We prove our laziness and lack of respect for community when we do not expend the effort to support the proclamations we espouse. We disrespect community when we have neither the intellectual fortitude nor passion of purpose to establish, support and defend its values. We minimize our school or work or church environment when it does not matter if or how a thing is performed.
The value of community is in exponential relationship to the effort we are willing to exert. So how much value does any individual bring to any community? That may be a very difficult assessment. Even Downs Syndrome sufferers bring great intrinsic an emotional value without much effort. Who are the best and the brightest are often just assumptions we make. The wisest and the warmest are sometimes overshadowed with the beauty and vibrancy of others. Your value is unique, as is mine. In the final analysis it is only possible that our value can be properly judged by the creator of all life. You may not believe He exists. From my perspective, that means you lose. For of what value is anything if you are the sole judge of it? Your few short years in this life make your analysis of as little value as my assessing reality shows based on my limited exposure.