John 13:35 - The Kikkoman Soy Sauce Disciple

A couple years ago, my son-in-law hosted a Kikkoman Soy Sauce party. The Kikkoman Soy Sauce folks supplied him with (of course) Kikkoman Soy Sauce, Kikkoman Soy Sauce recipes, colorful Kikkoman Soy Sauce plastic tumblers, and at least one Kikkoman Soy Sauce tee shirt... which I inherited as a Christmas present.

This shirt doesn't have the word "Kikkoman" discreetly embroidered on the sleeve or somewhere on the chest. No, the same label you see on their bottles of soy sauce has been magnified to a larger-than-life silk screen image. It screams: KIKKOMAN SOY SAUCE. If I wore it at one end of the condiment aisle at HyVee, someone at the other end of the aisle would clearly read the label and be induced to immediately buy the largest available bottle of Kikkoman Soy Sauce.

Especially with sportswear, our clothes tell something about who we are and our preferences. I'm sure I've paid plenty of money for the privilege of advertising for Eddie Bauer, and some for that company with the Swoosh... whoever they are. How about uniforms? Whether it's nurses' scrubs or a state trooper's hat, uniforms announce what kind of work you do. 

What do we wear to announce that we are a disciple of Jesus Christ? We've all met un-Christlike people who wore a cross as jewelry or a tattoo... so that's not the best advertising.

Jesus Himself told us how people can tell if we are His followers:
"By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." (John 13:35, English Standard Version)

That kind of advertising isn't as instantaneous as a Kikkoman logo, but eventually it should be just as obvious and even more persuasive.

Father in heaven, Sometimes we don't act like Your children. We've been more apt to squabble than to show compassion and mercy. And we're sorry for that. Motivate us to love the way Jesus loved, especially toward other believers. We don't want to just sell soy sauce or tennis shoes. We want our love to attract others to know the source of love: Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen