Special?

I rarely go into Christian bookstores anymore. I do much if not most of my shopping online, and so I recognize that I'm part of the problem for bookstore owners these days. But every once in a while, I feel like I need to go in...I suppose to remind myself why I don't. So last week, I walked into one...and pretty quickly regretted it. The store was even more crowded with stuff than I remember, and books are obviously the last thing on their mind. The place was wall-to-wall with what I call "Jesus Junk." You know—slap the name "Jesus" on anything and suddenly it becomes "Christian." Like those Christian mints they sell at the check-out, "Testamints." Clever, right? That way your breath can be fresh when you share the Gospel. I think a lot of that stuff makes Jesus cringe. Was that why he came? To sell breath mints?

Anyway...as I was browsing (to see if they had anything I "needed" and didn't already have...they didn't), I overheard the cashier talking to the customer in line. "Oh," she said, in a cloyingly sweet tone, "Congratulations on your new Bible. Would you like to make it special by having your name imprinted on it?"

HUH?

Having my name printed on the Bible (for a "small extra fee," of course) makes my Bible special? Who knew? Can you imagine when Jesus read the Scripture in the synagogue, someone coming up to him and saying, "Hey, Jesus, how about we make that scroll special by putting your name on it?"

I thought the value of the Scriptures is in the words, the ones that point to The Word Made Flesh, Jesus Christ. Putting my name on the cover only identifies it as "mine," but it doesn't make it more valuable. Even having a Bible on your coffee table or on your shelf doesn't make it special. The only value to the Bible comes when we open it, read it, study it, and allow the words and The Word to get inside of us.

Please, let's not turn Christianity any more into a marketing device than we already have. Let's re-read that special Bible and stop worrying about the trappings. Instead, let's focus on the savior. He's more than special. He's the Son of God, the one who came to redeem the world.

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