A WORD FOR TODAY, February 10, 2026
Peggy Hoppes
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Blessings. Peg
A WORD FOR TODAY, February 10, 2026
“Behold, that which I have seen to be good and proper is for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy good in all his labor, in which he labors under the sun, all the days of his life which God has given him; for this is his portion. Every man also to whom God has given riches and wealth, and has given him power to eat of it, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labor - this is the gift of God. For he shall not often reflect on the days of his life, because God occupies him with the joy of his heart.” Ecclesiastes 5:18-20, WEB
I confess that my television is on most of the time. It is usually nothing but noise in the background and I don’t pay much attention. I pay even less attention to the commercials, especially since they often play the same ones over and over again. I don’t think I’m manipulated the way most advertisers hope, but it can be subtle and I’m sure I’ve purchased things I didn’t need because the commercials made me try the product.
I’m often surprised by the groups who are spending money for advertising, particularly charities. I get frustrated that they are spending so much money to break my heart as they show pictures of struggling animals and sick children. To be honest, I’m less likely to donate to those organizations that repeatedly exploit the ones they are claiming to support. Sadly, those organizations spend too much on advertising. I would rather be a better steward of my money, giving to organizations that use as much as possible serving their charges.
Sometimes when we see certain commercials, my husband and I think, “They must be hurting.” They spend money on advertising in the hope that they’ll get more funding. I’ve recently seen commercials for organizations that never used to do so, and they are groups that have had struggles in recent years. Will advertising really make a difference? It might be because the television will reach a wider audience than their dwindling supporters.
The thing about many of those commercials is that I don’t always believe the sincerity of those who are acting in them. The voice over seems to talk down to the listeners. The video is obviously meant to tug at your heartstrings with sad music and disturbing images. There is always some underlying threat that if I don’t send them money immediately, the animals or children will not be saved.
There are some commercials that I enjoy, of course, like those I referenced in yesterday’s devotion. They won’t necessarily make me buy the product, but they make me laugh and think. I don’t drink beer, but the beer companies seem to do advertising well. I don’t do food delivery, so the Uber commercial won’t change my practice. I will shop at H.E.B., but I would shop there anyway. However, I enjoy those commercials. I think part of the reason is because the actors seem to enjoy their work.
One of my favorite commercials this year was the one starring Kurt Russell. We might be tempted to think that he is struggling with his career because he has decided to do commercials, but he really seems to enjoy the work. Celebrity endorsers are often accused of selling out, and perhaps there is some truth in that. Commercials earn them high pay for minimal time commitment, but the low-effort work is lucrative in many ways. The actors and actresses maintain public visibility when they aren’t currently appearing in larger projects, they enjoy the extra money and the creative freedom.
For many, it is nothing but a job, but others really enjoy the work. It is said that Will Ferrell really enjoys the commercials he makes for PayPal, that he embraces the creative, fun nature of the work. The work we are called to do is much different than actors acting in television commercials, but how much more could we serve the Lord if we loved what we do for Him? We probably don’t have “sell” our product any better than those commercials, or at least it seems like we have no impact. I am sure the only way the actors even know they’ve accomplished something is when the companies ask them to return for another commercial. We get disappointed when it seems like we have failed to change lives, which makes the work harder for us to do. We stop enjoying and it becomes a burden.
It is like those commercials that are being aired because the advertisers are hurting and need to widen their audience. Yet, all the work we do, whether it is for the church or in the world, is meant to glorify God. Our vocation is God’s ways of sharing His grace with others, and so He invites us to work in ways that we truly enjoy. It is never meant to be a burden, to accomplish something for ourselves, to gain money and visibility. It is a gift of God to give us talents and opportunities to do work that occupies us with the joy of our hearts.
A WORD FOR TODAY is posted five days a week – Monday through Friday. The devotional on Wednesday takes a look at the scripture from the Revised Common Lectionary for the upcoming Sunday. A WORD FOR TODAY is posted on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Word-for-Today-Devotional/339428839418276.