BONUS BLOG: He Gets Us

Becca Girrell is an online friend and a colleague, who says a lot in what follows —

Here’s my weekly enews reflection to my congregation demonstrating how I’m talking about it:

The post-Superbowl “Monday Morning Quarterbacking” among my faith-leader colleagues consisted of one topic: the 60-second “He Gets Us” advertisement for… Jesus.

Let’s be clear—this at last is an understanding of Jesus that I can get behind. Here is a Jesus who serves, who loves unconditionally, and who embraces people regardless of any identity or ideology that might divide us. I wholeheartedly agree with—and preach—this this understanding of both the person Jesus and the Divine he points to.

Less clear is whether the organization creating the ad “gets” who Jesus is. The parent organization behind the He Gets Us campaign has given money, for example, to anti-LGBTQ groups. Perhaps this advertisement represents the recognition that the conservative church has driven people away from Christianity, and a new narrative is needed.

NPR estimates the ad and its airtime cost the organization $20M. That’s a hefty reparation for past harm of marginalized people! At the same time, for that cost, we could pay rent for every individual without housing in the state of Vermont—for six months. Rather than just talking about God’s love, wouldn’t it be something if we showed that love by feeding and housing our neighbors?

Although I could not have anticipated it, this ad and the backlash to it tied in to my message Sunday as well. In the story of the transfiguration, the disciples offer to build shrines to worship Jesus, Moses, and Elijah. But God’s voice tells them they are to listen to Jesus, not merely worship him. Jesus tells them it’s not yet time to spread the word about him; not until he has shown God’s power and love by rising from the dead. While worshipping God in Christ is important, our faith also compels us to show people God’s love, not only tell about it.

People need to hear the good news of a loving God, and I’m grateful for this advertisement for putting that word out there. But more powerfully, people need to experience God’s love in action, which is what we try to do as we feed, clothe, equip, listen, and serve with folks in need of that love. We’re supposed to “shine” with God’s love for all the world, and our actions speak louder than words!

—- what say you?