Arts and crafts stores Hobby Lobby reportedly came out with a full-page advertisement in various newspapers for Christmas that conveys the real meaning of the holiday at it focuses on Jesus Christ, saying "Behold, the Lamb of God."
The Christian Headlines said Hobby Lobby's Christmas-themed advertisement showed a toddler, who represents the young Jesus, picking up nails on the floor of the shop of his earthly father, Joseph, who is working some distance from him. The room in which the young Jesus and Joseph showed sunshine streaming through an adjacent window. The sunshine then casts a shadow behind Jesus and forms a cross, a depiction of what is to come and the reality that His birth can not be separated from His purpose in life.
The ad includes the text, "'Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.' John 1:29. If you would like to know Jesus as Lord and Savior, visit Need Him Ministry at ChatAboutJesus.com."
It then directs readers to the company's website where they could download a digital Bible for free.
Accordingly, this is not the first time Hobby Lobby came out with a faith-based advertisement. The company is said to regularly do so during Easter, Christmas, and even on Independence Day. Hobby Lobby Founder David Green first came out with the idea for such an ad in 1995 when he was going through a newspaper on Christmas advertisements. Green revealed in the company's website that he "felt commissioned by God to do something different."
"Hobby Lobby was selling all kinds of crafts that customers used to celebrate Christmas, yet David Green was struck by the lack of any testimony in newspapers regarding the meaning of the holiday," Hobby Lobby's website said.
Green then went out with their first Bible-themed ad for Christmas with the message focusing on the family and mentioning Christ as the "Savior." The unique ad bravely invited people to discover a relationship with Jesus Christ.
"As you celebrate this Christmas season in the warmth of family and home, may you be drawn to the Savior; He who left the beauty of Heaven on our behalf and became like us, that we might become like Him. If you know Jesus as your Savior, then this season already has a special meaning. If you do not, we encourage you to find a Bible-believing church in your community, and to discover a relationship this Christmas with the God who loves you more than you can begin to imagine," the Hobby Lobby first Christmas-themed ad said.
According to the Hobby Lobby Newsroom, their Bible-themed ads are released in partnership with Need Him Ministry which focuses on bringing the Gospel to the "hurting and broken." The ads are particularly printed in newspapers in towns where Hobby Lobby has a store since 1997. The company has adapted the same ads online through social media.
Green's son, Steve, who is Hobby Lobby's President, even came out with a book, "Faith In America: The Powerful Impact Of One Company Speaking Out Boldly," which conveys the history of Hobby Lobby's biblical ads. The book was released in 2011 and has received a five-star rating in Amazon.
Hobby Lobby's testimony of faith doesn't end in their words, though. The company is also known to walk their talk. USA Today said the company is also famous for taking good care of its personnel, whose pay they have increased to $18.50 per hour beginning January 1, 2022.
The increase is said to be $1.50 higher than that announced for October 2020, making the company "one of the first retailers to establish a nationwide minimum hourly wage" that is "well above the federal minimum wage, and has since raised its minimum wage twelve times over the last thirteen years."
