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Symbols of Faith... and Growth

I was cleaning out one of our closets a few days ago and ran across my wedding rings. Not sure if anyone even knows this except for my wife, but it took a long time to pick a ring. I really wanted a ring to show my faith, so I found a couple of options that I bought online to try out. One was a big black one with a cross and Celtic decorations surrounding it, another was a bit smaller and with a simple swirling fish like design. They were both a bit thick, but I was so excited to wear a ring with a message. After a few months of wearing it I got annoyed with its size, especially in the IT world. Eventually I changed it out for a simple aluminum one that I bought in a market while Katherine and I were in Philadelphia. I still have both the rings hanging out in the closet, never sold them for some reason.

As I looked at the rings sitting there I started to ponder. I wanted the ring to be a symbol of our marriage and to show that I was a Christian. I wanted people to know that my faith was important to me. But what does it look like to really show your faith in this world? Does having a big ring, carrying a big Bible, wearing a bold Christian T-shirt, and a "witnessing" sticker on your car really show a transformed life anyways? I used to think that showing your faith meant these things. As the years go by I find more and more that symbols have not helped me become part of the solution, but part of the problem. Logically, did I really think someone would look at my shirt and say, "Wow, that makes me want to become a Christian!" 

I look back to what it meant to be a Christian in the time of Christ, when it had little to do with the external symbolism. The fish symbol is a good example. They used the symbol to show that they were Christians, but in the underground since revealing your faith meant persecution or death. The real power that was seen among the Christians was internal transformation through the Spirit's work, and externally showing the love of Christ to those around them. Perhaps we believe this because of the materialistic world we live in, where identity has to do with the clothes that you wear, the car you drive, the college you attended, your job, or the church you identify with. 

Even so, my conclusions were somewhat countered in the Old Testament. The priests would have scripture draped over their robes, on their forehead, on the door of their house, and so on. Would this be the same thing? Could be, but it was not for me. My shirts were not about celebrating the new life I had in Christ, but political ideologies like my “Christianity is not a Religion” shirt. This was less about Christ and more about making a statement that I wanted to fight about. It was true that I wanted to share my faith in the fight, but how often does that work? There are lots of symbols like this around, very hurtful to the ultimate purpose of the Gospel since we usually combine the symbol with things that are not beneficial, or not scriptural.

Perhaps stripping off the material will expose that these are just coverings that are trying to hide us from the true Joy of following Jesus. If we can attract those around us to Him through pure love and heart transformation rather than just outer appearances, then perhaps they can see the real Christ. Doing so will also drive our deep need to depend on Him and not symbols that could distort truth. We forgive because He forgave. We love because He first loved us. We are redeemed because He is good. What do we need besides Him? Nothing! It is a good thing too, I probably did not reflect Christ very well while I was cutting people off in traffic with a fish symbol on my car.

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