Capitalizing on Christ

One of my biggest frustrations with contemporary Christianity is this concept that we can better reach the lost through making Christianity, or Christ himself a product to be sold. This has hit every aspect of the Christian life. We have everything from cheesy Christian t-shirts to lollipops in the shape of crosses. Since when is our Lord and Savior on the same level as Coca-Cola and Tootsie Pops? I apologize if it seems that I'm blowing this out of proportion but it just seems to me that this concept fosters a dangerously shallow faith among believers.

Some of the worst cases that I've seen of this are shirts at your local Christian book store that instead of having Coca-Cola on a shirt it has Jesus Christ written in the same trademark way as that refreshing soft drink. What is this really promoting? Is it really a good witnessing tool or is it doing more harm than good? From a educated Christian perspective I see those t-shirts and say on one hand you have Coca-Cola and on the other you have Christ our Lord, being "sold" in the same way. We're equating our Savior with popular consumer products. Do you want Coke or Christ? Your choice.

I was flipping through the pages of a Oriental Trading Company catalog the other day with some friends, making fun about various products. While flipping through this endless cornucopia of useless products I stumbled upon "cross mints", which are pictured above. This was the pinnacle of my frustration. Have we really reached that shallow of a point in our faith? I cannot begin to tell you the frustration I feel when I dwell on these things. It is horrible that we've reached a point to now, where the cross that my Lord and Savior bleed and died upon for my sins is now made into a tiny mint that you can pop in your mouth to freshen your breath. We need to start taking our Christian walk more seriously. It is imperative that we allow our minds to be transformed in the way that would be glorifying to God.

We need to stop treating God as a product to be sold, but rather our Creator, Provider, Lord and Savior.