The Plumbline

As the Scriptures say, “If you want to boast, boast only about the Lord.” When people commend themselves, it doesn’t count for much. The important thing is for the Lord to commend them. (2 Corinthians 10:17-18) How many times do you hear someone brag about what they have accomplished and wonder why they find it necessary to boast so much about such a small thing? Truth be told, I have been amongst the braggarts on occasion! Not a pretty sight. Boasting is really for the purpose of calling attention to oneself. As a young person, I thought unless people were always paying attention to you, they didn't like you. My bragging actually drove them away, not closer! Now, it goes without saying, if I catch the big fish on that next fishing outing, I am holding it high, but I don't do it to 'call attention' to my 'angling expertise'. I am just jazzed to have snagged one! Sometimes we 'call attention' to our accomplishments in quite an innocent fashion, while at ...

Trademark:  A distinctive feature or characteristic usually associated with a person or thing.  What are some of the "trademarks" you have come to know over the course of your life?  If I ask you to tell me about a cookie with a creamy white center, you'd likely be able to come up with the name "Oreo".  If you were asked to provide the name of a potato chip in a red can, you'd likely think of "Pringles".  In fact, almost all of the purchasing we do is because we have come to associate something with the image on the can or box - it helps us identify the object more readily.  Perhaps this is why so many companies don't change their packaging willy-nilly.  They know they must do some "up-front" work if they were to change it because we associate their line of product with that particular trademark.   “Don’t let the wise brag of their wisdom.   Don’t let heroes brag of their exploits.   Don’t let the rich brag of their riches. ...