Click to watch the WestJet Commercial.
Wow! Have you seen it?
Have you seen the WestJet Christmas ‘commercial’?
Totally awesome.
If you haven’t seen it, click the link under the photo to watch it.
Here is the gist of the campaign…
WestJet put a huge Christmas present in the departure lounge of an airport somewhere in Canada. They installed a large TV screen in the front side of if that invites waiting passengers to scan their boarding pass. Upon doing so, Santa begins interacting with the passengers via live video. He knows their names (because of the scanned passes) and asks them what they want for Christmas.
Passenger after passenger, amidst squeals of delight at the remarkable technology, share with Santa what they would like for Christmas: socks, underwear, a flight home to family at Christmas, a camera, a warm scarf, new boots…the list goes on and on, with one family even asking for a 50″ TV.
As soon as the passengers give their requests, WestJet staff race off to purchase the requested gifts. There is an army of WestJetters who buy, wrap and deliver the gifts.
When the flight arrives the passengers head to the baggage carousel for their luggage, but the first luggage to arrive – amidst much regalia – are all the wrapped gifts heading down the luggage belt like a merry Christmas gift train spilling onto the carousel with the names of the recipients brightly displayed on each gift.
The passengers are “gobsmacked” – to borrow a fitting English term.
Joy and excitement fills the room as passenger after passenger unwraps the very thing they asked for merely hours before. Tears are shed. Hugs are shared. Joys are exclaimed. Thanksgiving is offered. It is an amazing site – just incredible.
There was one particular line that Santa shared on the blooper reel that caught my attention. A woman had just shared her desire with him for new socks. He indicated that was no problem, but then said, “You are going to wish you asked for something more.”
Something CS Lewis said popped into my mind,
“The problem is not that we desire too much – it’s that we desire too little.”
When all the gifts were being unwrapped by the passengers I have no doubt that a number of passengers looked at what other people were getting – especially the family who got the 50″ TV – and said to themselves, “I should have asked for more.”
Jesus asks us, “What do you want?”
We are told in scripture to ask in prayer and we will receive – the only limitation is our faith. Perhaps our only limitation is the lack of audacity to go for it. To really shoot for the moon in our request of God.
I am not talking about the things of this world – a new car, house, boat, money, etc. No, I am talking about significant, earth shaking, eternally significant and seemingly impossible things. There is no limit to God’s power and resource.
What would you think of someone who, when asked by Bill Gates what they wanted as a gift – and that money was no object, asked for some new underwear? How about asking for a billion dollars to care for orphans, or to provide clean water around the world, or to build schools and train teachers for those children who go without education, or to feed the poor, or do research and development into fighting disease, or myriad other needs we have in the world?
My point is this: the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings is asking us what we want – are we aware of significant issues of eternal importance and engaged with God in stewarding His unlimited resources to see His joy, right living and happiness come in people’s lives? Or, are we more concerned about a new car or a set of golf clubs? There is nothing wrong with a new car or a set of golf clubs, but if that is the extent of our desire, then we have missed the heart of God.
Oh Lord, have mercy on us. Help us to engage with you in the deeper issues of life and ask for what is already in Your heart for us and through us for mankind.
So, what do you want for Christmas? Are you asking for enough? Ask and you shall receive…
Matthew 7:7, 8
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”
John 1:38
“Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, ‘What do you want?’”
James 1:17
“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”