If you watched the Super Bowl last Sunday night you may have seen a great commercial. I'm not much into football, so I mainly watch the commercials. My favorite commercial was "God Made a Farmer". I think that commercial touched the hearts and struck a chord with many people all over this country.
But why?
Why did it sink so deep into our psyche?
I cannot speak for everyone, but I have some thoughts...
I believe we love and miss Paul Harvey. It was so great to hear his voice again. The first thing you saw and heard was an old rustic looking church, then Paul Harvey's clear voice ringing out the words..." God created and then He needed a caretaker...a farmer to tend it." I believe that even if people don't go to church, they loved to see an old church; the nostalgia of it. I wonder sometimes if people aren't just a little tired of all the glitz and glamor in some of our churches? The slick Madison Avenue kind of church.
We long for the little church in the wild wood.
That makes us think of our childhood.
Then, we saw the slightly smiling face of a farmer... looking like he had a secret. The rugged and wrinkled face of this man was a welcome sight to many people who have grown tired of the "pulled tight" look of the Hollywood face. Just the realness and friendliness of his face was so welcoming.
We long for people who are friendly and real when we are surrounded by phonies.
We would love it if he was our neighbor.
Then, we saw the rugged hands of a hard working farmer. The faceless image spoke volumes of someone who has worked hard from sun-up to sun-down. It was refreshing to see someone who in this society of the "entitlement mentality" didn't mind to work hard for his livelihood. We as a nation wanted to see that! I would go so far as to say, we NEEDED to see that!
Then, at the end, he said we are all farmers. Many of us are...
The Mother who works with her child, teaching that child right from wrong.
The Father who gets up early and goes off to work, day in and day out.
They are both planting a seed into that child.
The teacher that teaches lessons in school and lessons in character, waters the seed.
The Pastor, the Sunday School teacher, who teaches the lessons each week and preaches the sermons, they are also planting a seed.
The Christian friend who speaks a word into the heart where the seed has been planted; he or she waters the seed. Someone may come behind and harvest.
Oh yes...
We are all farmers of some sort.
God give us more farmers!
