JUST DO IT

 

            I have an addiction. I love clothes. I love shoes. I even love name brands. But what I love most is a great pair of Nikes. I absolutely adore my Nike shoes. I have at least ten different pairs of Nike shoes that I’ve purchased in the last eighteen months. I love them! I love them so much that I make sure they stay looking brand new. I refuse to walk in the grass, dirt, or rain with them on. And speaking of brand new, I could spend hours in an athletic shoe store looking at all the new shoes that I want to own so bad.

            What is it about Nike that has got my attention? Why does Nike have such a power over my mind? Why does it completely influence the way I shop? Why is it that I will completely dismiss a cute pair of athletic shoes if it is not Nike brand?

            As I discover how deep my obsession truly is, I must think about what Nike stands for to understand why I love it so much. Nike’s logo, “Just Do It”, makes me think that I can do anything. That no matter what, I have it in me to be great. Nike even has a whole line of commercials aimed at telling people that greatness dwells inside. It’s almost as if when I put on my Nikes that I have a new sense of confidence, that I can do anything. It gives athletes the ability to believe in themselves because at least Nike believes in them.

           This commercial defines exactly what I'm talking about. As far as Nike is concerned, you don't have to be an All-American athlete to be great. You can just be you and still have greatness inside of you.  I think Nike is starting to target those who are less-than-stellar athletes as still being able to be apart of what Nike is about. I just love how Nike goes about their advertising: they aim for the best in people and tell him that they can even when everybody else says they can't. And obviously, it works, at least on me.

          This is my all-time favorite Nike commercial. It is about four years old, but I still love it. I think the point of it is to let the buyer know that they can be one of those people whose "better is better", with Nike's help of course. They have athletes like Steve Nash saying they are best, which he has the credentials to say, but also there is the little boy in the beginning of the commercial whose "better is better". Nike is saying that it doesn't matter who you are in order to be the best. They want us to know that all it takes is hard work to be the best, which is why this ad is so great for advertising their training program.

          I also think that Nike brings a sense of community. I think that by wearing the brand, it gives the buyer that they are a part of something bigger. Part of a group of people who are dedicated to being great. Maybe I’m making it seem like some sort of weird club, but this is how I see it. I think Nike speaks to a person’s inner being that tells them that they can’t or they aren’t good enough or they could never achieve something great. Nike speaks to the insecurities within us, and tells us that we are far more than we think we are. It gives us hope that our hard work will pay off.

            So how does this relate to Scripture? Simple. Nike tells us that we are a part of a community, that we can be successful, that we can accomplish more than we could ever imagine. These are all very good things and very encouraging. Scripture tells us that community is important and it says that we can do all things. However if you finish that verse, it says " I can do everything THROUGH HIM who gives me strength" (Philippians 4:13). Obviously, Nike isn't the answer to our problems. Nike won't make me strong, only Christ can. 2 Corinthians 12:9 says, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." Scripture stresses the power of Christ, not the power of man attained through hard work and self-sacrifice. 

           However, at the same time, I think Nike stresses values that say we are to be all that we can be. This is very biblical because Matthew 5:48 says, "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." We are to strive to be more and to be better than currently are to glorify God. Through Christ, we can make better ourselves to please Him. Through Him, we can "just do it".

           P.S. I've pinned at least five pairs of Nikes to my Pinterest while looking at the Nike website. :)