Romans 8:16
The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God
WWJD bracelets, Jesus Fish bumper stickers, large gold crosses around our neck. These are all things that Christians use as an outward sign that they are followers of Christ. I may not be very popular for saying this but these things have always frustrated me. In many ways they seem fake. I remember visiting my mother when she lived in a tiny rural town in Oklahoma. I noticed Jesus fish on many of the town business signs and mentioned it to her. She laughed and said "that's how we know which businesses in town will rip you off". I was astonished that this outward sign of Christianity was associated with corruption. It kind of reminded me of the saying about wolves in sheeps clothing.
As Christians we should be known not by our outward symbols of Christianity, but by our actions as people of grace. The living Spirit of God should shine through us in a way that makes wearing WWJD bracelets unnecessary. I'm not asking you to put away your outward symbols of Christianity, especially if it's a Spirit FM bumper sticker! Instead let's all be mindful of how our lives reflect the Spirit that is within us. Paul is reminding us in today's reading that we are adopted children of God. I don't know about you but my parents always wanted me to be a positive reflection of them when I was out in public. Does our daily interaction with the people around us draw people to Christ or leave them thinking "what a rip off"?
