Jake From State Farm

You know an ad is good if you remember it. The kids in camp knew this one well! It's from June 6, 2016.

Today was the first day of WCS All-Star Basketball Camp, 2016. It was a pretty good start. We had something that  has never happened before to my knowledge- no girls in the morning session. So, a coed camp became an all little boys camp. We survived. Guess what my team name in the AM is? The Chicken Monkeys. That's not a misprint. We aren't very good listeners yet but at least we have a unique name! My afternoon team is the Lakers, made up of six girls I've coached before, either at school or in this camp. There are a delightful bunch! In fact, the whole afternoon session, made up of older youngsters, is delightful. As time was running down, Trey Austin, our Westbury Christian School Boys Coach/Camp Director/TABC Coach of the YEAR, asked each team to send out a camper to represent their squad in a review. I sent out Shelby, one of the young ladies on my middle school team. One of the boys' team coaches, announced his nomination with a nickname thrown in: "Jake from State Farm!" That got a laugh so I added, 
"He should be wearing khakis!" To which a camper added,
 "She sounds hideous!" To which yet another camper chimed in,
"Well, she's a guy!" 
We had a giggle and moved on with the drill.

I googled that television ad and was surprised to find it came out five years ago, in August of 2011 to be exact. And yet, four random people in a sweltering gym in Houston, Texas were able to quote it verbatim completely unrehearsed. I'd say that's the mark of a terrific commercial. (Disclaimer: I had my insurance with State Farm for several decades and my first cousin's husband, David Ponder, is a State Farm Agent.) To me, what made it memorable was having ordinary looking people in an ordinary setting reacting in ordinary ways. I guess the point was that their agents are always available, even to the degree that a rational person might find unbelievable. Well, at least a jealous wife.

On of the tenets of Christianity is that our Father is always ready to hear our prayers. We know Paul and Silas prayed in the wee hours and even Jesus, God's own Son and our Savior, prayed all night. Davis phrased it like this in Psalm 121, verses 3 and 4:
He will not let your foot slip—
    he who watches over you will not slumber;
 indeed, he who watches over Israel
    will neither slumber nor sleep
Our God who does not sleep! I always found comfort in this stanza from the hymn, Savior, Breathe An Evening Blessing:
Though the night be dark and dreary,
Darkness cannot hide from Thee;
Thou art He who, never weary,
Watcheth where Thy people be.
It's easy to laugh at a fictional character named Jake ready to take a fictional call from a fictional stranger at 3:00 in the morning. But to believers, we hold fast to the faith that our Lord is ready to listen whenever we call on Him. I know I'm not the only one who wakes from a fitful sleep and cries out to the One who made us in His image. And He hears His children. Even those of us who have been known to wear khakis.

To watch this classic commercial, click or copy/paste the link below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47cAxRX3aDg

Applicable quote of the day:
"Give them quality. That's the best kind of advertising."
Milton Hershey

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1
www.hawleybooks.com
E-mail me at steve@hawleybooks.com