Take a look:
My first reaction to the OREO advertisement was a good chuckle and a bit of respect for the quick response among the multitude of tweets that happened during the blackout of the Super Bowl™. Tide was only minutes behind OREO, but their ad wasn't mentioned with the people I spent the big game with. Their response doesn't really make sense. I understand that Tide removes stains, but what does "get my blackout" even mean?
Tide and OREO both recognized that the situation that they could advertise to around 111.3 million people (2012 estimate) with a simple 144 character advertisement and it would be "understood" by those people. This was a great advertising move, both logically and logistically. Any buzz that arises around the power outage will now also move conversation to the OREO advertisement. But why not the Tide?
As Christians it is important for us to have the right understanding as we live here. We do not have a choice of living on this earth, as to somewhere else, but we are called to have a different understanding of it.
Romans 12:2
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Eugene Peterson presents Romans 12:2 in his paraphrase:
Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.How do we as Christians respond to the "blackout" times in our culture. When things are buzzing around us, how do we respond? Not only how quickly, but how does what we say or do land on other people? When we do respond is it an OREO statement that causes a lasting experience, or is a Tide statement that may be heard or seen by some but doesn't carry any weight at all?
As a Christian, how are you going to respond to the things around you?
1 Peter 3:15 says "But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect."
We need to always be prepared to give answer in a gentle, respectful and effective way.We need to be witnesses in the world through conduct, speech and love. How are you doing? How am I doing; am I the OREO advertisement or Tide? Am I hitting the mark, or missing it?
