Your Stamp of Authenticity

A few years ago now, we met friends in Macon and went to an outdoor shopping mall. One friend wanted to go into the Coach store in which case I thought she was incredibly brave since we had three small children between the two of us! They actually behaved pretty well and we just looked around for a few minutes. As we exited the store my friend and I discussed whether or not we actually owned any Coach purses. She admitted to owning two but never actually using them. I suggested she sell them on EBay but she told me that the original authenticity certificates were lost. She also confessed that she owned one knock off as well.

That got me thinking the next morning. I had just finished listening to a sermon by Jentezen Franklin entitled “Imitators.” The lesson was all about people who impersonated Elvis and how they would have to study his every move in order to really be successful at it. He compared that to Christians and how we should be emulating Christ so strongly that we would also be really good at it.

In fact, to make sure I was being accurate with the Coach info above, I went online to look up their authentification process. There was an article I found by “Divine Purses” that listed about 10 different ways to spot a fake! Everything from the stitching to the zipper was included. I was amazed that it was pinpointed to such an art! The site even said the following, “As you become more familiar with the real Coach handbags, you will recognize a fake easier.”

That sentence jumped out at me as it goes along exactly with the message that Jentezen was trying to get across.

I believe what God was trying to show me through all this is that when we get saved we become branded by the Most High. It may not be as in the Coach bag with a literal serial # assigned to it and sewn into its leather tag, but it is a mark that has been placed upon our heart; one that signifies a cleansing and forgiveness and Love. Now while our tag is “invisible” in one sense it really should be evident to all through our actions, our deeds, and our character.

I think we should ask ourselves, “Whose name do we bear?”

If we cannot honestly answer that we are striving to mimic Christ, then we need to do a self-evaluation and get rid of the junk that is trying to hold us back.

Luke 16:13 (NIV) “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

Father, let us a learn a lesson from this example and realize that we will often imitate and think about whatever we put our time and effort into following, listening to, watching, etc. Let us follow hard after You and be ‘the real deal’ – an example for others to see and want to imitate. We know that in You we have eternal verification and Your seal of approval. In Jesus Name, Amen.