Truth in Advertising..

Today I begin writing in the spirit of Andy Rooney of 60min. fame.  You could actually read this and hear his voice most of the time.:)


Some how this week in reading newspapers, blogs, emails, texts, Groupon coupons, church billboards, websites and the rest. Then there was all the cable new shows and the ever in your face talk radio. 


Well,  I'm think i'm giving up on truth in advertising. It appears that truth appears in life, to be spun into whatever the spinner is trying to accomplish, for whomever is paying their bills. Politics, being probably the best example of it today.


I think it was Groupon or one of those many services I receive each day that got to me the last few weeks.. 50% off 75% off 90% off right now!   Super!  Groovy! Down with it!  Till you go through 4 pages of links and ads, to find out it's 50% off on up to the first $10.00  you spend, if , you spend over $100. .  So really it's 5%..


Pick an ad.. any ad,  for someone selling something. Trinkets, Trucks, Truth, Transparency, Toys and Time.  How is each pitch spun, to convince you that it's what you really need, as opposed to "we're the same as everyone else, and this might actually kill you if you take it."

Don't know bout you, but I'm finding it more difficult every day to believe just about anything I hear or read anymore. And like I said, this political season in America,  has made it almost unbearable already, to believe anyone about anything, regardless of party or preference.


Then there's religion. OMG. Yup Really God, OMG.  All the slogans, new church names to hide the denomination affiliations and on and on.  We're trying to get folks into  buildings by just about any means possible today. Productions, Give Aways,Free Cars, Trips, Classes, Free Food,  Helps Ministries, lights cameras and action, tatoo's and bowling shirts, and a million marketing ideas all in play, so long as everyone is willing to fit our mold; pun intended, or view.

We still put people in classes and ask them to join our groups because it's what were comfortable with.. It's what we've been taught, it's what we're supposed to do.  
  Well honestly, I'm not sure who to believe anymore, except the Red Letter Words, and what the Holy Spirit speaks to my heart when I'm in earnest prayer.
Big Book stores are full of writers telling you God meant it this way or God meant it that way or God's coming back or Gods really pissed at your ineptness or He doesn't even care about what you do, He only cares if you say "Geeeeesus" and I only care if you buy mine. Miiiiiiiineeeee.


So we look to smart people and or scholars and teachers (not in any order) to enlighten us. And we find out, in time, that it divides us more often than ever uniting us.


We pray for wisdom.  Well no  shhhish-kabob Sherlock. If God doesn't help us navigate through our own waste we create, we dont' have a chance at a peaceful solution in this lifetime.

Then there's Jesus.  (big sigh of relief coming. You can hear the music swelling of your favorite movie theme. You have your own picture in your head of How incredible He is).  Yes Jesus, The One, The Only. The Real Deal.  Gosh I love that name.

The one who came and paid the price, who stands in the gap, for all who call..

How did He handle it all. 
What did he think of truth in advertising. 
What was His model. 
How did he handle stress, sin, anger and everyone around Him lying and scheming in fear and doubt. 
How can He help us without us twisting and wrecking the essence of all He lived for.. 
Really, How did He do it.

Well...   I read it was Prayer, a lot of time alone, Very Few Words, Love, Compassion, Truth without Terror,  and not caring or showing us he cared much about the things that don't really matter. 


Think about all the issues Jesus never discussed because no one asked Him about it. He created the cosmos... Hello... He could have had some pretty deep conversations with smart people... ya think.  We're all torked off because He didn't spell out,  in red letters, in 5 locations, with old Test.  verification what he thought about Homosexuality or women's rights or slaves or how much is Too Much of anything questionable. And He was such a bad finger pointer.... ;) Arms open wide was His style... and that cost Him... No more words needed here..

As I read the Gospels, I can see Him walking each day, among the/His people in the city and the countryside.  Taking questions,  and answering, quietly, with pathos, and,  carefully.  And what about all those who thought He was heresy,  a liar or a nut case. How did he handle his enemies every day. 
Pretty carefully --- as you read and re-read His answers and parables.  

BTW,  I think Jesus was a skilled carpenter.. His earthly skill set...  I'm guessing Joseph taught him that skill.  How often did Jesus discuss that. Did he ever lift himself up in conversation.  hmmm. (never?) Never talked about himself and or his earthly skill sets?  Never sang that great song "it's all about me".

Wow. How am I doin there personally? ...  
I guess "F - for flesh" is what I'd  get most the time.  
Not kicking myself here, just being honest.
 He doesn't love us more or less based upon what we admit..

So why do I fail?  I'm sure you all could tell me better than I, and with more vigor, lol, but I guess I don't seek the father enough for His answers, before I'm asked the questions, where then my flesh answers first, out of pride or fear or anger or jealousy. 
Walking in the Spirit is not a one prayer a morning process or a Sunday Sermon tank filler....

I actually feel bad for the humans who are created with that Gene that says "learn it all and know it all". Their brains force them down roads that create denominations and libraries of theological books that only other theologians read.. Yet I feel bad for the people who don't ever read, but just listen to others and agree with everything. These as well are dangerous people under a pied piper.

What did Jesus say? Become like lawyers, preachers, politicians, salesmen, athletes, pop stars, Futures traders ? 

I think more like children who are wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Interesting combination to balance out.

Now can lawyers, preachers, politicians super star athletes, billionaires and pop stars be like Jesus?.....

It's harder... Yup. it is. We expect more from them. (ok well some of them)... And that's our fault.

We need to get over the need to making our heroes into super heroes. 

And I'm talking about leaders here. Teachers, Politicians, Pastors, Artists. Athletes. Smart People:)

We need to raise some new generations to understand that the only person on the planet who will not fail them is Jesus. End of Book... Everyone else... "mortal and capable of all evil if not walking in the Spirit and producing the evidence of that fruit".

Seems to me there was a time when some people wanted a hero, a king, a leader.

Seems to me God was loudly saying "hey there" "georgie girl" .. I'm your King, I'm your Creator, I'm your all in all. You don't need a man made Idol. 

But that's what they wanted, and that's what they got, and that's when we realized once again how bad we are at listening to truth when it's spoken. 

So I'm gonna have another espresso now and sit quiet for a half hour and pray, and cry, and ask Jesus once again today, to help me be more like Him, the only one who was, is, and will be truth in advertising, now, and forever more.