Did you watch the Super Bowl last Sunday? Over 200 million of us tuned in for at least part of it! That’s the most ever, including increased numbers of Hispanic viewers via Univision and more women than ever (via Taylor Swift?!). There was even a simulcast from Bikini Bottom, courtesy of Nickelodeon, which, due an internet issue, my buds and I enjoyed for a bit!
If you did watch, maybe you saw the He Gets Us Foot-washing commercial. What did you think? Feel? What, if anything, did it stir in you? (I’d love to hear.)
You can guess what I thought, right? I loved it!!
First off, it’s a counter-message to an idea which seems to be growing that Christians are best at not liking stuff: Sin, bad people, political opposition, whatever. Too many of us are too often pigeon-holed as haters and identified by what we’re against. But it’s what we’re for that really rocks: The fullness of the kingdom of God in our hearts, down the street and all over this beautiful world!
Secondly, the commercial reminds us of an aspect of Jesus that probably doesn’t get as much air time as it should: He came to serve. Similarly, Christians might not get reminded as often as would be good for us that essential to our calling is loving and serving people we wouldn’t naturally love and serve.
Finally, a Muslim woman, sitting in the lawn chair of my Indiana youth, gets her feet washed. Yes. Yes. Yes. Those of us claiming the gift of life Jesus offers (and reading this silly email) can surely agree: Part of the way we (at least some of us) steward that gift of life is by demonstrating it through service to Muslims. Amen!
Now the hard part: Actually living out and living up to Jesus’s example! You grab a towel. I’ll go fill up a dish pan.
PS: Both the wash-ers and wash-ees have bare feet in the ad! Thoughts on that?