I am traveling this week, and grateful to Nick Pitts for writing the Cultural Commentary in my absence. Nick is Director of Cultural Engagement for the Denison Forum. He has been writing daily for our website across the last year, and is the author of The Daily Briefing, a survey of each day’s news in biblical perspective. Nick is a Ph.D. candidate at Dallas Baptist University, finishing his dissertation. I encourage you to subscribe to the Daily Briefing, and know you will profit from his wisdom and insight in the Cultural Commentary this week.
The world has lost interest with “The Most Interesting Man in the World.” After nine years of dispensing wisdom on life and listening to interesting facts about his life, Dos Equis is retiring the bearded bandit who was a cultural phenomenon. We followed him as he jaunted around the world and hung on every word as he casually dispensed advice sitting in a booth.
Here are some interesting facts about this mysterious man:
- He once gave a pep talk and both teams won.
- The last time he flirted with danger, danger got clingy.
- If opportunity knocks and he is not home, opportunity waits.
- His charm is so contagious that vaccines have been created for it.
- He can open a piñata with a wink and smile.
- Sasquatch has taken a photo of him.
The Most Interesting Man in the World tripled Dos Equis’s business. But what made this man such a cultural phenomenon?
I would submit that his quiet confidence and spirited outlook on life drew others to what he was selling. In an age in which we skip commercials to get back to the good part, he caused us to watch his commercials because they were the good part.
Interesting things never demand attention—they captivate it. They don’t force you to look; you are compelled to stare. All because there is something more than meets the eye.
We live and move in a culture in which the way of Jesus is increasingly seen as dangerous, not interesting. Some want to force us to believe a certain way. Others are taking steps to limit the ways we can work out the faith with fear and trembling. This resistance is new, but it is not unique.
Throughout the biblical narrative, God used interesting individuals for the glory of his name and the spreading of his kingdom.
Moses lived a spirited life to such an extent that he lived until the moment he died (Deuteronomy 34:7). Before Tim McGraw told us to live like we were dying, Moses died living and in turn thousands followed. His patience was only exceeded by his faithfulness (Hebrews 11:29). And his determination led thousands to a better place than they were.
Joshua’s quiet confidence came from following after a giant in Moses, knowing that the God of Moses was with him and called him (Joshua 1:5). He could be strong and courageous because he was walking with the One who had the ability to make the sun stand still (Joshua 10:13).
Our culture is changing, but our mission is not.
The mission is not to look like the culture, but to look like Christ while we live and move in the culture (1 John 2:6). This is not a culture war; this is a spiritual war in the culture (Ephesians 6:12). In this war, we are not trying to win the point, but the person. And the goal is less about trying to win, and more about being faithful (Hebrews 11:6).
Faithfulness does not seek to be counter-cultural, it strives to be loving (1 Corinthians 13:1). This at times can be counter-cultural, but a desire to love always looks for the best in people and strives to redeem the worst. We are known by our love not our stands (John 13:35).
There was a time when we “won” the culture, or at least were in the majority. But those days, like Crystal Clear Pepsi, are no longer.
But take heart, God does his best work in the dark (see creation and the Cross). We don’t have to save the world because that has already been done. But we should want to be interesting in the world, so that others may take note that we have been with the One who is worthy of all our interest and praise (Acts 4:13).
Have you been with him today? |
