Imagine being dropped in the middle of a jungle to live for three weeks with very little food and only the absolute bare necessities. To some that sounds wonderful. To me, not wonderful. Definitely not wonderful!

I’m A Celebrity. Get Me Out Of Here! is a summer reality show where celebrities (or almost celebrities) experience this to win money for their favorite charity.

I would much rather be on Celebrity Apprentice if it were me.

To get real food to eat these celebrities have to win various challenges. The team that wins the competition dines on a fine cut of meat or fish, fruit and vegetables while the losing team eats rice and beans.

Some of the challenges are physical endurance contests. Others include eating the tail of a rat or trying to get something out of a hole where they can hear and feel their hand being chewed on by mice. They must really love their charity!

In between the challenges they show what goes on in “camp” as the celebs try to deal with their isolated surroundings and each other. Needless to say boredom reigns, personalities clash and tempers flare.

One such clash came between John Salley (former NBA star) and Janice Dickinson (former supermodel). John seems to be very helpful. Besides carrying her backpack along with his own the 3 hour hike into camp, he helped Janice (as well as others) in many ways. She, on the other hand, seemed to take advantage of his goodness and didn’t reciprocate by helping John or the others.

The straw that broke the proverbial camel’s back was when he asked to use her shampoo. She refused and a profane verbal battle ensued (words bleeped because it is on TV). It sounds petty but after several days in the jungle being sleep deprived, eaten by all kinds of bugs and getting very little food it didn’t take much to snap.

A little later after things cooled down John and a few of the guys discussed what happened. In his defense he said, “I will give and give and give, but if you try to take from me, that’s when I get upset.”

What he was saying is, as long as I can be the one choosing what and when I give it’s okay, but if you want to decide what I give then I get real upset.

Unfortunately that statement really resonated in my heart.

What struck me is how often I find if I am in control of what is given, how it is given and how much is given, I’m okay. I can do it with a good heart and positive spirit.

But let someone take something from me I am not wanting or ready to give, watch out! A good heart and positive spirit are not what’s going to come out.

James encourages us to be honest with ourselves when he wrote, “But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth.” (3:14)

His challenge is that I acknowledge that part in myself that wants to control things. The bitter jealousy that wants to keep things unless and until I want to give them to someone. The selfish ambition inside me that wants to be the one calling the shots.

Clearly we are not to let people abuse us and we are to provide for our families (I Timothy 5:8). But we are also instructed to not be so tight fisted with what God has given us that He isn’t able to give it to others for their use if He desires.

Jobs attitude after he lost everything is to be ours. In Job 1:21 we read, “And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked I shall return there. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.”

Whether it’s one of my possessions, my reputation or even my family, it all belongs to God. He gave it, He can take it away. Either way, His name is too blessed.

I have to constantly keep in mind that it’s all His and I am simply His steward. He has a right to do anything He pleases.

I must admit I really struggle with this.

That’s what’s been on my heart this week.

Mark