Why is the world so concerned with appearance? What do we have to hide under a logo or a word in pretty type that we are afraid the rest of the world will see? Even inside the Church, people pretend not to have anything wrong with them. Under the surface there is a vulnerable person who can be hurt by a harsh word, a coarse glance or a slighted action. They walk down the isle to their seat in the pew pretending that they have it all together. The relationships, the financial situation, the addictions, their place with God. We're so concerned with conforming to a mold, we forget what the brand was not about looking good.
One man in the history of the world had a consitent brand image. His name was Jesus, and his creed was Love. Not the love you use to get something, but the unselfish love you give away to everyone, whether they ask for it or not. The Greek language has a word for it, Agape. The love that gives unconditioinally. That kind of love isn't cheap. It will cost you everything. Your dignity, your pride, your time, your money, your career, your family, you comfort. It cost Jesus his life to prove that he meant it enough to take the pain of death in our place. No other brand I can think of reminds us that someone took our place to die to prove that they meant what they were advertising.
