Why Have Christians Become Walking Billboards For The World?

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VIDEO: WALKING BILLBOARDS: WHO ARE YOU BRANDING???

If we want to show our support for our favorite sports team or athlete, we wear the team jersey. If we have something to say, we find a shirt that expresses that thought. If we have a favorite brand, we like to wear it and declare our devotion to it. If we support a cause, we share it with the world so that, hopefully, they will get on board and lend their support as well. So, where is the message of our devotion to Jesus? If Jesus is such an influential part of our lives, why is there so little (if any) branding for Him in our lives? Branding is one of the most important aspects of any business or cause. Effective branding gives a business or organization an edge and increases interest, so if a business or cause can get customers to love their brand, then their base will unwittingly become free walking billboards for them.

Just sit down in any high traffic area, and do a little people watching. More specifically, look at what they're wearing and what they're carrying. What does it say on that t-shirt? On that hat? On that handbag? On that canvas bag? On their cell phone cover? What message are they attempting to communicate with the general populace? "I love this team, this entertainer, this athlete, this video game, this movie, this quirky saying, these animals, this drink, this food, this cause... this brand." They're also sending messages like, "I'm humorous, I'm sexy, I'm angry, I'm patriotic, I'm antisocial... I'm pro-abortion... I'm with Stupid." Now, how many people do you see wearing an article of clothing that shouts, "I love Jesus... Jesus is the most important thing in my life... Jesus died for you... JESUS SAVES!" Yeah... not so many. Most likely, not even one. I can go weeks without seeing anyone branding Jesus. Why is that? Why is branding things of the world okay but not Jesus? Do we avoid wearing Christian clothing because we're concerned about what the world will say??? Are we living in sin and don't want to be seen as a hypocrite because our declaration of faith doesn't match our lifestyle???

We've allowed ourselves to believe that the reasons the world uses to wear these things is a valid reason for us, as Christians, to wear them as well. "Who am I hurting?" you may ask? "What harm am I causing?" Maybe you're asking the wrong questions. Maybe you should be asking, "Who am I benefitting?" "Does this message I'm sending bring glory to God?" It's not about hurting or harming, it's about advancing the Kingdom of God. For many people, Christian clothing may be the only thing they feel comfortable doing to share the salvation message. 

The unsaved are part of the world system and we know it's common for them to bend to the herd mentality because uniformity is what makes them feel safe,  accepted, and part of something bigger than themselves. Christians, on the other hand, aren't supposed to blend in, we're supposed to stand apart. We're not supposed to reflect the world, we're supposed to reflect Jesus. So why do we still wear these items of worldly affection? I suppose that after years of secular branding, many of us find it natural, not giving it a second thought, but for a peculiar people who are supposed to be spreading the salvation message out in the world, wouldn't it make sense to be a walking billboard for the Lord???

Wearing clothing that includes branding conveys a message. It says that this message is so important to us on a personal level that we feel the need to share it with everyone else by wearing it out in public. If I asked you to inspect the clothes in your closet and in your dresser drawers, how many items of clothing would you be able to find that had some sort of Christian message on it? I'm not talking about something you only wear to church or to Christian events. I'm talking normal daily outerwear. A vast number of Christians would say that they had none. Now look again and count how many articles of clothing you own that has some type of branding on it (sports, movies, patriotic, products, etc...)? Why is branding the message of the world so much more important to Christians to display on their chest, on their back and on their head than branding the message of the cross? Think about that.

We have one message to proclaim to the world, and that message isn't about how much we like a particular brand, movie, actor, athlete, entertainer, animal, etc... The message we're supposed to be proclaiming is salvation through Jesus... believe and repent.

Now, I'm not saying that you have to wear Christian clothing every time you leave the house. What I am saying is that when we DO wear clothing that includes branding, it should be something that points the sinner to Jesus and not things of this world.  

We need to go out in the world and show them that our love for Jesus is greater than our love for the world or anything in it. Wouldn't we rather brand Jesus at a sporting event, the supermarket, a company BBQ, the beach or park, amusement park, county fair, or any other public setting where there could be tens, hundreds or even thousands of people around us rather than branding something of this world? We'd be more productive as born again believers in Christ if we invested in hoodies, shirts, hats, car magnets, bumper and window stickers, etc... that points others to Jesus and helps with the advancement of the kingdom of God which lasts forever!

REPENT, AND BE FORGIVEN!

BELIEVE, AND BE SAVED!

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