Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I was going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. And you know the way to where I am going. [John 14:1-4 (NLT)]
Just hours after its introduction, all models of the new Apple smartwatch sold out. Delivery is at least two weeks away and many customers will have to wait six weeks or more before receiving their new purchases. While all the Apple stores have the luxury Edition models on display (priced from $10,000 to $17,000), they can be tried on at only twenty-one stores. That limitation didn’t seem to deter buyers because, within forty minutes, the rose-gold Apple Watch Edition was sold out until July. It appears that people aren’t even concerned about the first-gen shortfalls of this new technology (like a battery that barely lasts a day); they just want one now. In fact, demand is so high that the new devices are already being resold (above the list price) on EBay. Admittedly, this new tech/fashion accessory is remarkable and far superior to the two-way wrist radio that Dick Tracy wore in the comics when I was a child. What I find interesting, however, is Apple’s marketing strategy. I’ve read that Apple spent $38 million in advertising this product and yet they didn’t produce enough watches to fulfill the expected orders. I admire Apple’s understanding of the simple economic concept of “supply and demand:” a limited supply creates a high demand!
What would it have been like if Jesus had a marketing department like Apple’s? They probably would have advised him to reconsider telling people there were more than enough rooms in his Father’s house. What if He’d said only a limited number of rooms were available, God’s house would soon be completely booked, and it would be a long time before any more could be offered? Would people have waited hours in line for his blessing so they could claim a coveted reservation in heaven? Would some have resold their spots for a profit?
Before its release date, when still officially unavailable to the public, singer Pharrell Williams was spotted wearing an Apple smartwatch on “The Voice.” If Jesus had a marketing department like Apple’s, they might have selected a few Judean celebrities and arranged special meetings for them with Jesus. Think of the buzz around Jerusalem if a well-known Pharisee or the wealthiest wine merchant had become one of Jesus’ followers. Plenty of people would have wanted to get on the Jesus train then! Instead of the rich and famous, however, Jesus had a disparate group of ordinary men and women as his followers: people just like you and me.
Unlike Apple, Jesus made one simple offer to all of mankind: believe and be saved. Since God wants everyone to have a place with him, there is an unlimited supply of rooms in heaven. Christianity isn’t an exclusive club, everyone is welcome and there’s always space for one more. Moreover, there is just one model of salvation. The wealthy or well-known won’t get nicer rooms, be better loved, or more forgiven. Jesus wasn’t interested in impressing a few people, he was interested in saving us all.
A common marketing strategy not used by Apple was the “limited time offer.” Don’t worry; if you couldn’t get a smartwatch Friday, you will be able to get one eventually; in fact, it may be an even better version. Unlike the smartwatch, however, Jesus’s offer isn’t going to improve with time. Moreover, it is for a limited time only; we just don’t know the date his offer will expire. While God will never run out of room in heaven, we may well run out of time here on earth. Don’t wait too long!
Devotions of the Heart 