He Gets Us

Commercials are a big part of the Superbowl event. The audience is huge and so is the price tag. It cost seven million dollars for a 30 second ad. Spending that much money requires the advertisers’ best efforts and, so, we are treated to clever moments of entertainment.

These commercials are teased in advance and discussed the next day. They seem to take on a life of their own and some become legendary. Of note this year are two commercials behind the “He Get Us” campaign. These well-crafted, attention grabbers speak powerfully about the love of Christ.

As one might expect, they have drawn negative reaction both by people outside the faith and people who include themselves in the Christian faith family. The attacks are not against the content of the ads nor on its subject. They are “ad hominem” attacks on the humans behind the campaign.

Among the criticisms was the idea that the $14 million would have been better spent on alleviating poverty. Isn’t that the argument Judas made when a woman anointed Jesus with an expensive jar of perfume? (Mark 14:4-5)

Imagine what could have been done with the billions spent to put on the event. Tickets started at $5911! Now throw in the salaries of the players… and coaches… and announcers. The critics did not focus on that. I don’t think alleviating poverty was the issue on anybody’s mind.

I appreciate the campaign’s effort at cooling down the heated rhetoric displayed in contemporary political debate. Our civil discourse has become decidedly uncivil. We can do better and people who call upon the name of Jesus must lead the way to peace. Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God.” (Matthew 5:9)

The ad campaign’s detractors don’t get it but “He gets us.”