Not to be a grinch, but the commercials leading up to Christmas are out of control. These things usually fall into two categories. First, is the gratuitous sex and violence category. I can’t watch the Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl (an American tradition we all should cherish and clear our schedules for…) without covering my 3-year-old’s eyes 4 or 5 times a half to shield him from video game ads. What the heck? Additionally, have perfume ads always been this explicit? Why does selling cologne require people to be half-dressed and soaking wet all the time (its a predominately visual medium why are we selling fragrances on here anyway)? The second category is less offensive but somehow more annoying; in what universe are these young couples buying luxury cars for each other? What economy are these cats living in? What 29 year-old is buying a Jaguar for his wife? How is this, in any way relatable to a normal person in 2018?
Anyway, I’m ranting now but the point is I’m having to stay on my toes now during commercial breaks; which is why I was particularly engaged, and strangely encouraged when Chevy tried to sell me a truck over the weekend.
Just in time for the Christmas holiday, Chevrolet is now offering employee discounts to the general public. Real, live Chevy employees (not actors) decked out in flannel and mittens, making Christmas cookies and selecting Christmas trees said, “My mom works for Chevy, we’re part of the Chevy family and right now… so are you.” The hook is simple, what is normally available only to insiders is now available to outsiders as well. This is good news.
Consciously or not, Chevy has waded into theological waters. The logic of the Gospel (which literally is fleshed out at Christmas) says that outsiders, enemies, and traitors like us are now welcomed into God’s family and treated as if we actually deserve to be there. Because of our union with Christ, we are not treated like the rebellious orphans we are but instead, receive all the rights and privileges of the one true son of God.
Im probably not going to buy my wife a car, but Chevy did remind me of the gospel this week and considering what I usually get from commercials… I’ll take it.
“Remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ…” Eph 2:12-13