Branding is important in our world of commerce and
merchandise. Levi and Wrangler sell their brand as much as they sell their
blue jeans. Mercedes and Harley Davidson sell their brand as much as they sell
cars and motorcycles. You can find boots, jackets, coffee mugs, and all sorts of other merchandise with their brand. Sometimes, in our fickle world, a brand loses its
influence and products need to be re-branded. They need to create a new
atmosphere surrounding their product. But Christianity never needs to be re-branded. The real problem is that we fail to live up to God’s branding on us.
Cattle are branded to identify their owner and to
communicate ownership clearly to anyone who sees them. Rustlers will try to
change a brand so that another rancher’s cattle appear to belong to them. We
have been branded with the blessings, the gifts, and the life of the Lord Jesus
Christ. Arrogant self-indulgence disfigures that brand making it look as if we
belong to the world and not to Christ. Understanding that all we are, all we
have, all we hope for, and all we have to offer, from beginning to end, is a
gift of God’s grace protects us from that disfigurement of God's brand. What does the world
see when they look at you?
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