Seems like the general social media consensus was the Super Bowl commercials were spoiling the fun. With such serious tones and reflective themes on a night when fun, food, football and friends are supposed to reign, many went to Twitter and Facebook to offer their two cents.
Now I will offer mine on why we seriously needed such serious spots!
First, advertisers are smart. What better platform than the captive, commercial-waiting, 184 million expected American fans tuned in to deliver their message? Obviously their primary motivation is to sell their product, but why not capitalize on the additional benefit to their brand by using their heavily paid-for 30 second spot in a public service announcement sort of way to show they care about our society?
I’m not saying these companies don’t care at some level, so motivations aside. Regardless, the societal issues going on in our nation, cities, schools, homes and hearts are so important that we must talk about them. And sometimes we need to be shaken from our self-induced stupor.
Of course, it is more enjoyable to mindlessly watch football and chat it up with friends than having to think about the brokenness in our world! But, I think generally we have become so self-consumed that our own happiness, convenience and comfort is what really rules.
So when we are confronted with domestic abuse, struggles of self-worth and identity, childhood mortality even for just 30 seconds we would prefer it go away so we can get back to the more important matters of enjoyment at hand.
What about when this is going on in our own spheres with people we know? Do we also dismiss it because it isn’t our problem? Or, are we willing to get out of our chair and walk alongside hurting, broken people, even when it’s inconvenient and robs us of our own pleasure or agendas?
While I am over-looking the fact that lots of people invest in lots of people, charities, ministries and causes, I think sometimes we are somewhat like the advertisers and do our “good” for self-serving reasons. But this is where we need to be in tune to our own hearts. And I guess that is what this blog post is really about – just wanting to probe by asking some questions, in a 30 second read.
If for just a short-time this post, like the commercials, leads us to see where we are part of the problem, than ‘serious’ is worth it. If this leads us to acknowledge our own broken, sinful, selfish hearts and turn to Jesus to see how he was broken in order to take on all the sin of all his people from all time, than ‘serious’ is worth it. If in seeing our selfish desires and mixed motives we see how desperately we need a Savior, than ‘serious’ is worth it.
So why so serious?
To take us outside of ourselves – even if for just 30 seconds!
