Honor Students and Jesus Fish
Once upon a time I was a Christian Youth Group leader. You can say what you want about me, but that was probably one of the most fulfilling and amazing volunteer positions I have ever held. Those kids are amazing and the things they taught me far surpass anything I could have possibly taught them. We had a mutual respect and they knew I would never be anything but real with them. I remember once being asked by one of the teenage girls “Is it really a sin to kiss your boyfriend?”
Sitting in the kitchen of the church with about 5-7 old biddies pretending to make coffee yet straining to hear my answer, I responded “No, I don’t think just kissing him is an issue. What the intention of your kiss is, that’s where the tougher stuff comes in to play. But really, it’s only God who knows what is really underneath, at your core.” I was informed later that was not the correct answer.
Later that year as I pulled into my new favorite place to hang out ever (Hannaford Supermarket) I saw someone looking at the back of my little red sports car. I assumed they were staring at one of my two bumper stickers. Either my Amnesty International or my Christian Ichthys one. Turned out to be the latter. Their comment to me “I’ve never seen someone with one of those Jesus fish on their cars that actually was a considerate driver.”
Wow, snap! You mean our actions can speak louder than the stickers we slap on our bumpers?
Bumper stickers have become one of our ways of “representing ourselves” to the world at large. They are like the personal branding of our drivers license responsibilities. And just because you have them on your car does not mean that that is the message you are TRULY portraying. For example, I recently drove behind a HORRIBLY inattentive and overall bad driver with one of the ever popular “My Child Is An Honor Student At…” My immediate gut check response was “Thank god your kid is smart cause YOU are obviously a bit of an idiot.”
People seem to be desperate to label themselves. To find a bumper sticker to adhere to their lives that will tell the world exactly who they are. To find others on the road that are in the same bumper sticker guild that they are. Without the use of a major adhesive remover purchased from Lowe’s or a hairdryer and straight edge to remove. And who’s to say that your bumper sticker featuring “Hello Kitty” will REALLY represent you in four years?
There’s an app on Facebook called Bumper Stickers in which people can choose little icons to “stick” to your page. I feel like these are similar. They get stuck on your profile, and though easier to remove they still represent to the world “who you are.” I used to have a huge list of them on my boxes. Whatever my friends and acquaintances wanted to “say I was” I proudly showed off. Now I just use one on my front page. The one featured above in this post.
I figure that’s a bumper sticker and message about my core being that will never get old.
You are right, people do love labels. You can’t go too far from your house these days without seeing a tattoo on someone. All I need to do is somehow look at the middle of my back and I’ll see a tattoo. People love labeling themselves, declaring who they are. Bumper stickers are different of course, but I believe we live in a world of “me”. Is it a completely narcissistic world we live in?
Also, I’m worried about a lot of teenage girls if kissing is a sin!
Rich DeMatteo´s last blog ..…99 problems but a JOB ain’t one
I demand photos of this alleged ink in the center of your back! (Have I mentioned I am always intrigued a few well placed tattoos on folks!?)
You have thought of another “branding” thing hadn’t even crossed my mind. And literally, like branding an animal this is permanent ink that will be there forever. You are ALWAYS warned when getting a tattoo to “Think hard” because that stuff isn’t coming up without some EXTREMELY expensive laserscopic surgery. But we still do it. We still have the insatiable urge to label ourselves.
As for sin and teenage girls, I’m personally a believer that there’s only one being out there that decides what is a sin and what isn’t. As long as you have a pretty tight relationship then what happens between you and them stays between you and them. It’s like Vegas…
Well, you asked for a picture….
Here’s my tattoo
http://bodyspace.bodybuilding.com/img/404702/progresspic/33583orig.jpg
Rich DeMatteo´s last blog ..…99 problems but a JOB ain’t one
Fantastic freaking post! LOVE it!
Sara´s last blog ..Let’s Give ‘Em Something to Talk About!
Great post! And I think the answer you gave that teenage girl was perfect. Allowing her to feel personal accountability without guilt, imagine that.
Doniree´s last blog ..Milestones, Moving Forward, and Giveaway Winners!
EXACTLY!!! It’s like I trusted teenagers (especially this one who was 17 at the time) to make decisions for themselves yet help them think it out a little. My Jesus Fish wasn’t about labels for me, it was about a faith and love greater than myself.
I learned SO much from those kids…I freaking love them!!!
This was a good post Paco!! And that woman was a horrible driver! I know my facebook bumper stickers don’t really represent who I am anymore. But I do want to get a tatto
And what you said to that girl was right! Those biddies were too caught up in their generation, times are changing ladies!
This is great post, and I really agree with you. We can’t necessarily let labels define us, and we can’t label others in the same vein. There is a lot more to individuals than these labels, and perhaps that is one reason why personal branding can fail. People change like you said, and can branding and personal branding really change, evolve in the same way alongside us? It’s hard to make it work in that way, and so that is certainly a danger.
Akhila´s last blog ..Be the change: The Lost Career Cat That Always Finds Its Way Home, by JR Moreau
O.K. so labels are not important. I hope you were not labeled But I do know you to be a wise woman( is that labeling?) who was a wise friend to a bunch of teens who needed a friend more than a moral judge. And I always thought you were right. Now talking about crazy drivers…….
Actions speak louder than bumper stickers and tattoos
JR Moreau´s last blog ..The World Is Not Enough (Or Is It?)
Great post sweetie. I take it from one of your comments that the idea of a tatoo is gone by the boards? As far as bumper stickers, that is one reason I generally do not have them on my car other than the Christian fish and now a PEI sticker. (I really don’t even like having a car dealer sticker there. They are not paying me to advertise their business). What happens if you support a person or issue that you would rather not admit to in 4 years. That sticker is still there.
As for the ladies at church that said you told the wrong thing – you know my thoughts plus I can just imagine who they were. You did not mention that when you do come to church if one of those former teenagers see you, they hug the life out you still today.