A few years ago, my mom bought me a designer handbag. Unlike
most of the other popular bags in this collection, this one didn’t have the
initial of the company plastered all over. Unless you looked on the inside of
the bag or glimpsed the small tag hanging off the side, you would never know it
was from a top company. Mom says, it was that feature that made her like the
bag – it wasn’t flashy, showing everyone what type of bag it was. Yet it held just
as much monetary value, as other flashy handbags.
I really like the handbag. Not just because my mother bought
it for me, but because it is a really nice bag and I’ve never seen anyone else
with it. However, I also like (some) of the bags with the designer’s initials
visible on the front. Let’s be honest, we buy name brand items not only to
please our favorable appetite towards the item or because they are quality
made. We buy them to show others that we can afford items of a certain price
range. Some also do it, hoping it might “place” them in a certain status group.
All over we see people with designer clothes, handbags and shoes, even though
they may not have food to eat or money for their rent. But in their minds, they
have used the money wisely.
My message to you this morning is – “Flashy Characters”
Way too often we as humans use material things to cover who
we really are. We wear a big hat to church, so no one will see the hurt that
lingers underneath. The name brand sneakers and clothes, hopefully cover the
love that is nonexistent. Many of us try so hard to cover the truth we miss out
on the value in being honest. Nothing is wrong with dressing nicely and wearing
designer clothes, but we cannot allow those materials to take the place of our
genuine identity. We need to allow our true character to shine through. While some
negatives may linger, we must learn to accentuate the positive.
Allow your smile to be brighter than your shirt. Let your
passion for helping people, stand out more than your passion for sneakers. Spend
more time with your family, than working on your car. Buy one less pair of shoes
and take your spouse or significant other out. Instead of buying that outfit
for yourself, use the money to get someone else something.
Nothing is wrong with shiny things; just make sure you also
have a flashy character.
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