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There I was. The time was 1 a.m. and I couldn’t sleep. I had turned on the TV hoping to find something that would cause me to doze off. And then it came on – that commercial. That Big Mac was mouth watering. And even though I knew it was 1 a.m., I had to have one. Call it a Big Mac Attack, or call it the power of advertising, I was up putting on my shoes and heading all the way across town for the 24/7 McDonald’s before the 30 second commercial was even finished. Oh, the mighty power of suggestion!
And so is our life as believers.
We are walking billboards for Christ everywhere we go. Did you know that? People are watching you daily to see what this God you serve is all about. To be honest, that concept scares me a little. It’s scary because I know for a fact that much of my life is not a very good representation of Him. And so often it’s not necessarily what we DO that’s a bad advertisement – it’s usually what we DON’T do.
When we see that person at school who’s been cut down by somebody’s cruel, heartless words and we just walk on by – we’ve missed it.
When we stop at the red light and the homeless veteran is sitting there with a sign that simply says, “Hungry, Please help” and we simply look away – we’ve missed it.
When our co-workers continually talk about their hopelessness and loneliness and we know the real answer for them is found in knowing Christ yet we never muster the courage to say so, we’ve missed it.
When a friend is walking down the path of terrible choices and we just let them walk without sharing the message of the gospel’s saving power – we’ve missed it.
You see, it’s often what we fail to do that tells the world the most about who it is we serve.
When we see hurting people and choose not to offer compassion, we are advertising that our God doesn’t have time for them.
When we encounter the lost and hurting who are without Christ and choose not to offer them the hope of knowing Christ, we are advertising that God doesn’t want people “like that.”
When we know the truth of reaping and sowing but simply stand idly by and allow those we love to destroy their lives with sin, we’re advertising that grace isn’t strong enough for their sin.
That’s what our lives are screaming. We’re walking billboards – commercials – for who God is. And the power of suggestion is strong. God has given us the ability to show the world who He is and what He means in our lives. He’s called us to be His representatives in every possible way. He’s called us to show people how He brings fulfillment in our lives. Through the billboards of our lives, we show how deep joy can be, how vast forgiveness can be, and how wide His arms of love are.
That night I had a Big Mac Attack that motivated me to drive all the way across town for a burger. The world needs a Big J (Jesus) attack that will motivate people to give their hearts to Him. And by the power of the Holy Spirit, along with a change being seen in us – God’s going to do great things . . . if we’ll only allow Him the lordship of our commercial.
That’s just a thought, and I welcome yours.
Until next time,
blake
Copyright © 2022 by Blake Martin @https://pastorblakeman.wordpress.com/2010/11/30/our-life-commercial/ No part of this article may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from Lifeword.org.