Represent

Lately I have been on a McDonalds diet, based solely on the fact that I am out to win that Dodge Viper from McDonalds Monopoly (I still need Short Line Railroad). A few times I have been accompanied by Scott, my Associate Minister buddy, and during one visit we decided to turn the placemat over to look at the nutrition facts, we found that we were eating the most calorie filled sandwiches on the menu. I didn’t gasp too much on that, because I’m 6’3” and weigh 160lbs., but our next visit was the one that caught me as funny. As Scott and I walked in the door and were standing in line we began discussing what sandwich we should get, based on the newfound knowledge we had attained from our last visit. As I got to the front of the line and the cashier was about to take my order, I turned back to Scott and proclaimed, “I’m going to get my chicken sandwich grilled instead of crispy, because it’ll be fewer calories.” I turned back to the cashier and she replied, “It doesn’t matter what you order, if you eat here, you’ll get fat.” I thanked her for her advice and ordered my food.
McDonalds has gotten a bad reputation of fattening Americans ever since the “Supersize Me” documentary came out, and that may have been the source of the comment that came from the cashier, but what caught me was the fact that a McDonalds employee, during her work hours and to a customer would essentially say, don’t eat here, it is not healthy. An employee is supposed to have pride in the company he/she works for and defend the company at all cost, not blatantly show disgust for the company, especially in front of a customer. Don’t wear a McDonalds hat and then curse its name.
Sometimes I wonder if we as Christians do the same thing on a different level. We make a checklist of all the things we need to do to be good Christians (go to church on Sunday and Wednesday night, get baptized, give to the contribution, etc.), check them all off, and then go on with our normal lives the rest of the week. Once we have gotten in the door, once we have attained the Christian name, we figure we’re in for good, and our actions begin return to reflect those of the world instead of Jesus’. God comes to us and says, I gave you the mark of a Christian, and you are misrepresenting me by the actions you show to the world. Either you are a Christian, a follower of Jesus Christ, or you are not, there is no middle of the road. Christianity is a lifestyle, not an event or a place to go to, it’s a 24/7 job, and we must be careful to accurately represent what Christ stands for, especially in the face of those who do not believe (potential customers). Don’t wear the Christian name and then deny Him through your words and actions.