Desperate Housewives Part Two

Last night on Desperate Housewives, the show featured a segment on each Character, and reviewed each storyline through this season. This was helpful to me because I have only seen four or five shows, and now I have a bit more background on which to base my opinions. DHW is a bit of a male basher, but this does not diminish the interesting ethical conflicts, and human struggles explored in the show.

Felicity Huffman plays housewife Lynette Scavo. The Scavo character hits the closest to reality, and her struggles should connect with any stay at home mom. I discovered last night, that Lynette became dependant on her son's ADD medication to the point of stealing some from her neighbor’s medicine cabinet. The fatigue of raising young children takes its toll on Lynette, and in an emotional scene, breaks down in front of her friends, as she confesses her feelings of failure as a mother. Lynette soon finds herself surrounded by friends who comfort her with their own confessions of struggling parenthood. She suddenly realizes she is not alone in her experience, and through tears of relief, she ask why nobody ever said anything to her before. Lynette needed to know what we all need to know, that there are no perfect husbands, wives, dads, moms, children, friends, or Christians.

My friend once said to me "I don’t believe in binaca breath Christianity". What did he mean? Christians who hide behind a wall of self righteousness are helping no one. How do we comfort and encourage a fellow believer or neighbor if we pretend we have no struggles with living out our faith? I am not saying we should sin, so that we may comfort those who do. We all struggle, and we are no less Christians or human because of it. When we struggle or wrestle with sin or life in general we are affirming our desire to obey God. There are millions of Lynette Scavos out there who are looking for a true friend and neighbor. Christians are commanded to comfort with the comfort God has given them, and there are many who could use some comforting.

We should live our lives in openness and integrity before God and each other. There is always the potential for individuals to take advantage of our weaknesses, so we should choose our friends carefully. We need each other for companionship, mutual comfort, encouragement, and the occasional reminder that we are not alone in our frailties and weaknesses. We can forgive and uplift each other in our relationships, and become a comforting presence of God to those who struggle around us.