I love cute little shops. My town has quite a few darling little stores, many of them filled with antiques, some with children’s clothing, and many with gifts, home decor and women’s clothing. I live in Texas, and in an area where the cowboy is not just a throwback, or a 50’s old western TV character, but someone who actually lives and works. We’re proud of it out here, so you’ll find a lot of western-themed home decor around, and anything you can think of has been made “rustic” so as to fit a little more nicely in your homage to the cowboy way of life. Even the clothing gives a nod to western-wear, but is amped up with rhinestones or silver beading; “Texas Glitz,” if you will.

Another thing you’d find, if you were leisurely shopping the stores out here, would be the embracing of what is commonly known as cowboy values. They’re not just a hard working bunch; they love their Jesus as much as their favorite saddle, or pair of Luccheses. The towns are laced with Cowboy Churches, and iron cut-outs of cowboys kneeling before the Cross, their noble steed at their side. That love is reflected on everything from frames, to hats, to bags, to artwork, to dishware, to clothing. A lot of it is really cute, but then there were the shorts I saw yesterday.

Denim cut offs. Covered in black crosses of varying sizes, appliqued front and back, and then, the largest one displayed prominently on the left buttock and glitzed up with rhinestone beading so you couldn’t miss it. As if you could, otherwise.

Truly, this gives sharing your faith through a bumper sticker new meaning.

It made me wonder if God really needs the PR that badly, or if maybe He’d rather we just put on Jesus Himself. Instead of covering our homes and our accessories and our very selves with the image of the Cross, maybe He’d just rather us let Christ Himself shine through us, brighter than all that Texas glitz. Perhaps that would draw people to Him a lot faster than a Cross sparkling on our behinds.

(Really, I think that just draws people to our behinds, alone, but that might just be me.)

Please know that I’m not against cute Christian-themed stuff. I own some of it, and I love to wear my various Cross necklaces. I enjoy shops that sell it, too. I think it pleases God to see us displaying our faith, but only as long as we remember to wear our Jesus most prominently of all. The light of Him should be drawing people straight to His heart, and if it is, I’m thankful to say there’s nothing that will be able to distract them from it.

Well, maybe those shorts. Let’s just all rethink those shorts…:)

“Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ…” Romans 13:14 NIV

“Now you’re dressed in a new wardrobe. Every item of your new way of life is custom-made by the Creator, with his label on it… From now on everyone is defined by Christ, everyone is included in Christ.” Colossians 9-11 MSG

“You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world…Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16 MSG