Rethink Christian

I never watch commercials anymore. In fact, since I bought my first Tivo seven years ago, I have come to loathe the two and a half minutes plus that the networks expect me to sit through while waiting for the next segment of my favorite television show to come back on. But, every now and then, a commercial catches my eye and I forget to push fast forward. That happened last night. As I started watching it, I couldn't figure out what product it was advertising, until the last few seconds when the brand came into view. Obviously Anne wasn't as stricken, as she was clearing her throat and pushing fast forward on her "air remote." It was a commercial for the Saturn auto company. You may have seen this, but I'll try to describe it to you. (You can see it for yourself here)

(There is an image of a fist showing four gaudy rings) Rethink Bling (Changes to a fist with a simple wedding band).

Rethink Power (A picture of a power plant chimney billowing smoke changes to a picture of a large solar panel).

Rethink Strength (a picture of a body builder changes to Lance Armstrong.)

Rethink Status (a picture of a car with a big engine "V12 Biturbo" changes to a picture of a hybrid engine)

The commercial ends with the phrase "Rethink American."

The commercial is trying to tell us that the game has changed, and Saturn is changing the way you should think about American car companies. I can't verify that all of that is true, but I was definitely impressed with the commercial. I started thinking about it today...what if we substituted "Rethink American" with "Rethink Christian"? Should we re-look at that way we think about our faith in the context of bling, power, strength, and status? Here's my new take on this commercial....

Rethink Bling - The world's view is that he who dies with the most toys wins. But Jesus said in Matthew 6:19-21 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Rethink Power- 2 Timothy 3:2-5 sums up the state of affairs in our world today. "They will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money,...lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God - having a form of godliness but denying its power." But Paul urges us that in spite of this we should "not be ashamed to testify about our Lord" (1:8) because "God did not give us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of POWER, of love and of self-discipline." (1:7)

Rethink Strength- The world tells us never to show weakness, but 2 Corinthians 12:10 says that "when I am weak, then I am strong."

Rethink Status- The world says that you're not cool unless they say you are, but God says that you mean so much to Him that he sent His only son, Jesus, to take our sin so that we can have a personal relationship with Him. (John 3:16). In fact, we are God's children. That means that we are heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:16-17) Sounds like more status than Paris Hilton!

Sometimes we can lose sight of how God wants us to see these things and get caught up in the same mindset that surrounds us. But maybe it's a good time to stop, step back and "Rethink Christian."