October 19

Written by Bill Grandi on October 20th, 2022

There are some commercials I have trouble watching. To be fair, I (or have Jo hit) the mute button when commercials do come one, but there are some I refuse to watch. This time of the year are the interminable ones on open enrollment, i.e. Medicare/Medicaid. UGH! And the actors they use who don’t have to worry about things! Another one I can barely stomach is the save-the-pets one. Not because I don’t have a heart for the dogs (and maybe cats 🙂 ). The ladies voice is so…put on…so drab…so annoying. It’s not that I have a heart of stone. I can’t explain it. Maybe it’s because if a pro-life commercial was made with ultrasounds and life it would probably be cancelled, because after all, animals are more important than babies.

Okay…off soapbox.

But there is one group of commercials I watch one time and mute them when they come on. The children. The children with cancer.  You know…the St Jude ones. They wrench my heart out. I watch; I tear up. Guaranteed. We have friends of a family in church who have a 4 y/o boy with a brain tumor-a glioma- that without a miracle from God will probably not see age 5.

My highest praise goes out to those doctors and nurses who see them every day, but keep on. My highest praise goes to the pregnancy centers who talk about life for all-born and unborn. My highest praise goes to those who take children in through fostering or adoption because they love children and want to give them a chance in life.

Jesus once said, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.” (Mt. 19:14 NLT)

Children are a precious gift from God. In Jesus’ day they were add-ons, often without care, and certainly without a “place.” Jesus changed all that. He rocked the Greek and Roman world with His love and stand for children (I suspect even the disciples raised their eyebrows a few times). He gave them importance.

“Father, may I never forget Jesus once said I was to become like a child in my acceptance of you. May I never brush them off or hurt their hearts by my words or actions.”

 

6 Comments so far ↓

  1. Ryan S. says:

    We did away with cable tv over a decade ago… We will stream shows that sometimes have commercials, but the mute button is close at hand. Is your soapbox big enough for two?

  2. gail says:

    I can jump on the soapbox for commercials too, I hate them.
    I think as we get older we sometimes forget how to respond to God as a child would, we don’t want to open up and be exposed like that. We try to hide our feelings, and questions, and pretend it’s all ok. Even when we know God knows everything and we cannot hide anything. Father, help me to run to You just as a child would. Help me to worship, sing, and express my feelings to you like a child. Help me to see the young children in my life as an example of how my heart needs to follow You.

    • Bill Grandi says:

      You are right Gail. We do lose the heart of a child in many ways, particularly in our worship. I second your prayer.

  3. I feel the exact same way about the commercials. I know some are working for good causes, but I just can’t watch the heartache. Better to do like my mother and support those I feel strongly about. She faithfully gave to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.

    • Bill Grandi says:

      Thanks for your comment Pam. St. Jude’s is one I definitely weep over. It is hard seeing children suffer but it also heartening to know there are those who do care.