Truth About Commercials

Truth About Commercials

Dr. Vince Hefner, Pastor, First Baptist Church, Cherryville

Now that the Super Bowl is over, I am surprised how people were just as interested in watching the commercials as they were in actually watching the game. I can almost understand their feelings, and since my team was not in the “Big Game” I had lost a great deal of interest in the event. However, a memory was awakened concerning a commercial about running shoes that I watched when I was a child.

I was about 6 years old and had become infatuated with a specific commercial about the positive effects of wearing “PF Flyer” running shoes. The commercial showed a young boy that was slow-footed and could not outrun anybody, but when he had purchased a pair of “PF Flyer” running shoes, he was the fastest kid on the street. When you are a child, you will just about believe anything you see advertised on television, and I was no exception. I begged my parents to buy me this miracle item that would certainly make me the fastest kid in town and probably the most popular. Generally, my parents overlooked my visions of grandeur, but on this particular request, they relented and bought me a pair of these miracle shoes! I could imagine how my entire life was going to be changed by wearing my “PF Flyers” to school, and outrunning all my friends on the playground. This was going to be better than the Super Bowl, because the Super Bowl only came around once a year and I could use my shoes every day of the year!

Believe it or not, I was fast even without the special shoes, so I wanted to challenge someone that I respected to beat in a fair and square race. That person was my grandfather! Yes, he was older than me, but he was in good shape, better shape than I thought. Looking back on the idea, it was not one of my better ones. When I challenged him, he laughed at the idea, but through my persistence and some “trash” talking on my part, he agreed. We walked outside, picked our course and agreed on the finish line. As best as I can remember, we had a small crowd of relatives that was cheering us on. I was fully confident that this was going to be the start of many victories and perhaps the start of a legend in Altapass! I would like to tell you the “PF Flyers” did exactly what they promised to do, but they didn’t. I would like to tell you my grandfather let me win the race to build my confidence, but he didn’t. I would like to tell you my relatives didn’t heckle me for such a crazy challenge, but they did! I would like to tell you that was the last time I believed in some fantastic promise from a commercial to help me lose weight, look better, smell irresistible, or do the impossible, but it wasn’t. All I can do is learn from my ability to be persuaded into believing something that may not live up to everything it claims.

I have been a follower of Christ since I was seventeen years old. I believed that Jesus loved me and wanted to forgive me of my sins. I still believe these truths. I believe that Jesus is in charge of all that takes place, even the things that are difficult to understand. I believe that Jesus is always with me, in the good times as well as the bad times. I believe that Jesus will never leave us nor forsake us. I have never been disappointed in Christ, nor have I ever felt mislead by any promise in the Bible. Allow the Holy Spirit to guide you throughout your life and find out for yourself the love of Christ, and the leadership of Christ when you are willing to follow Him. The Christian life is not always easy, but it is never, ever misleading. Jesus can and will deliver all of His promises. Psalm 68:19 promises us, “Blessed be the Lord, who daily loads us with benefits, the God of our salvation.”

Remember, don’t give in to sin. Think about it!