Activated

God wants us to lead fruitful lives.  And, a contributing factor is the presence of and application of
the Word of God - if it is planted in our hearts, then we grow, we bear fruit for Him. Psalm 1 says:
2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night.
3 He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.

The words we listen to and absorb into our consciousness will produce results - that's why we have to be so careful about what we expose ourselves to.  Words that don't built up can harm our spirits, and if we are dwelling on those negative impressions, that can weigh us down in our walk with the Lord. God's Word will instruct us and encourage us; it will also convict us so that we can repent from our sinful ways and pursue His holiness more wholeheartedly.  His Word is a reliable guide through the perils of this world.

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We can be reminded that our words are containers - they can be used to build up or tear down.  The words we think on and speak can help us grow spiritually or inhibit our spiritual growth.  In the
parable of the sower in Mark chapter 4, Jesus is outlining four places where the seed, God's Word, is sown - beside the road, on stony ground, among the thorns, and on good ground,  He says:
20 But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred."

This much-ballyhooed ad starts out in a regular fashion - a fast-food employee standing presumably in a restaurant. Then things get interesting: the actor says: "OK Google, what is the Whopper burger?"

This ad then reportedly would activate Google Home devices, which would take the viewer to the company's Wikipedia page.  Fox News.com reports:

For years, the first sentence of the Whopper page read, “The Whopper is the signature hamburger sold by the international fast-food restaurant chain Burger King and its Australian franchise Hungry Jack’s.” But a few days prior to the ad’s release, it was altered to include the burger's ingredients, reading, “The Whopper is a burger, consisting of a flame-grilled patty made with 100% beef with no preservatives or fillers, topped with sliced tomatoes, onions, lettuce, pickles, ketchup, and mayonnaise, served on a sesame-seed bun.”

Of course, Wikipedia is a source where readers can go in and edit material.  And, some people thought they would be rather clever and began to edit the page in a less-than-flattering manner. Gizmodo reported on some of the edits, which described the burger as being made with "rat and toenail clippings," or with "cyanide" as one of the ingredients.  Another edit said the burger caused cancer.

So, the online vandals were out, and Wikipedia was definitely not "all in" for the campaign.  In fact, BK may have violated a rule that says editors cannot insert ads, according to Fox, which says that, "Wikipedia is demanding that Burger King 'apologize to our editors and readers' as well as admit any wrongdoing and agree to comply with the sites rules going forward."

And, Google was definitely not happy with the campaign, either.  A strange little cat-and-mouse game ensued.  USA Today stated that, "Wikipedia subsequently locked the Whopper page from new edits. And by Wednesday afternoon, Google had deactivated the ad's ability to trigger Home devices." Gizmodo said Google's adjustment took less than three hours.  But the King was not to be undone; USA Today said:

By substituting the voice saying the command with a woman's voice or a different male voice from the man seen in the ad, the new spots again activated Google Home devices. When USA TODAY tried the ads Thursday morning, Home once again started listing Whopper ingredients, courtesy of Wikipedia.

In a terse editorial comment, Gizmodo stated: "As if it weren’t creepy enough that a major corporation is triggering smart home devices to feed their owners idiotic ad copy, that same corporation is also editing an online encyclopedia in order to better use it for marketing."

USA Today stated: "For Burger King, the ad served as a way to tap into the growing ownership of home speakers with AI-enhanced digital assistants such Amazon's Alexa and Apple's Siri — and of course, to generate some buzz. The company on Wednesday saw three times the activity on Twitter as it did the previous day, it said in a statement to USA TODAY."

And, have you noticed?  Another burger chain is encouraging a Google search in its advertising. This time, according to CNET.com, it's Mindy Kailing telling viewers to search for "that place where Coke tastes so good."  That presumably is McDonald's, although its name is not mentioned in the ad. When you Google that, you'll find a listing of stories about the ad!!

Well, it's all part of advertising - you have to be creative and attempt to stay a step or two ahead of the competition.  And, if you can leverage social media or the Internet, it can certainly be a plus!

I think that the BK ad flap has some things that can inspire us today.  First of all, recognize the obvious - that we are involved in an increasingly technological society.  Words and images that once were heard just on the radio or seen on a page in a newspaper or on a TV screen can be transmitted in a variety of ways.  Faith Radio can now be heard on 8 broadcast facilities, but we also are on the Internet, and you can access us on a smartphone through the website or through our app. Radio shows were once recorded, or "taped," but you really weren't able to listen to them again very easily.  Now, interviews from The Meeting House can be accessed online.  You can read these comments on the Internet.  And, you can even see video excerpts of on-location conversations,

Now, can you tell Google Home, Alexa, or Siri to search for Faith Radio in Alabama?  I think you should try it - let us know what you discover.

Let's think spiritually about the power of words.  Burger King leveraged the ability to tell Google Home what to do.  Those words activated a response.  So, think about this - what words activate you?  Words have power.  Encouraging words can help to motivate and affirm us, while discouraging words can bring down our spirits.  Sometimes words can produce a less-than-holy response in us, maybe even cause anger or anxiety.  We cannot guard ourselves from such words, but we can work in tandem with the Holy Spirit to not allow harmful words to trigger ungodly behavior or impulses.

We can also think - how can we allow God's Word to activate us?  God's Word, placed in our heart, can produce fruit for His glory.  His words are described as seeds - as they are treated carefully, as they are cultivated and watered, then the harvest will come.  We have to make sure our hearts are good ground in which the Word can be planted, so that it can accomplish what God intends.  Our study of and meditation on God's Word can cause us to grow in Christ and to exhibit the result that He wants to bring to pass.