NO MORE MR. CLEAN?
In a clever marketing gimmick, Mr. Clean, the longtime fictional and bald “spokesperson” for Procter & Gamble cleaning products like Magic Eraser, announced his retirement last month. “After a 58-year career with zero stains on the record,” the press release said, “I’m ready for new adventures.” Then, perhaps unsurprisingly, two weeks later, Mr. Clean “unretired” to announce a string of new and improved products. “Today,” he announced on March 4, “I’m proud to share that I’m back. I tried to stay retired, but the ideas got too big. The magic of cleaning called me back.” We can all rest easy knowing that our bathroom tile can be cleaner than ever.

NO MORE UNCLEAN?
Peter is about to be met by messengers from a Roman centurion. To prepare Peter to give a hospitable response, God gives a vision. While hungry, Peter sees a variety of “unclean” creatures descending on a sheet from heaven. This challenges Peter not to reject what God has made clean. When Peter sees the centurion’s home full of devout Gentiles who are eager to hear about Jesus, he realizes that God looks at people without favoritism, without a regard for whether they are Jewish or Gentile, slave or free, male or female.

Questions

• Who is your favorite advertising mascot? Or, what is your favorite ad jingle?
• When have you had your thinking challenged about an opinion you’d held for a long time?
• What person or group would you like more people to see as accepted by God?