SLOGANS

So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. 1 Corinthians 3:7

When my son, Danny, was a little boy, I was helping him with his spelling words for school. One word on the list was “turkey.” For some reason, he had a hang-up on only this particular word. He spelled all the other words with ease. I ended up singing a song to the Mickey Mouse theme, “M-I-C-K-E-Y,” but put in the letters, “T-U-R-K-E-Y” and with that, he learned to spell the word.

Advertisers learned long ago that a great little song or slogan helps one to remember the product. I can still recall the telephone number of a plumber and a flooring company only by their short songs. I know that “What’s in your wallet?” is Capital One, and “Don’t leave home without it.” is American Express. I know that M&M’s, “Melt in your mouth, not in your hands,” and “We know a thing or two because we’ve seen a thing or two” is Farmers Insurance. How would I know this when, most of the time, I fast-forward through commercials? I guess in the one or two times I heard them, they stuck in my head.

I have even seen ministries and churches use slogans to bring people into the doors. It’s not necessarily wrong to employ these types of advertising strategies to lure people to God, but unfortunately, attracting them for one visit and keeping them to grow roots is a whole different story. Usually, most companies believe that if the consumers try their product once, they will return to be a regular purchaser. That is the best strategy of all.

When we sow our seeds of Christ, we want the message to fall into good soil. We want it to grow roots. We can water and fertilize it in several ways. “Be all that you can be” (United States Army) by keeping well grounded in Christ. “Obey your thirst” (Sprite) by quenching yourself daily in God’s word, and “Just do It!” (Nike). “The greatest tragedy is indifference” (Red Cross), so “Care enough to send the very best.” (Hallmark) “All you add is love.” (Ralston Purina) The real thing is not Coke but Christ. After we have done our job, the growth is up to God.

Sow your seeds and tend the young plants with God’s love, making them feel welcomed, accepted, and cherished. Once they taste and see that the Lord is good they will be like David who said, “I was glad when they said unto me, ‘Let us go into the house of the Lord.’” 

Help me, Lord, to sow your seeds of love. Please help me to work the soil, and bring nourishment to allow roots to take hold. In Christ, I pray, Amen.