Check Your Image
Everyone knows that when it comes to image, Apple always beats PC. I mean, who wants to be this guy
when you can be this guy:
Of course, if we were having a serious discussion of the merits of each computer system, you might provide real world facts about why you prefer one system over the other. (I personally think each has a place). However, there’s a whole lot of people out there who simply choose based on image (even a whole lot of people who won’t admit it.)
Here’s the point. We do this all the time in almost every area of our lives. Unfortunately it has crept into youth ministry. If we take a hard, honest look at ourselves, sometimes we make choices based on image. A while back, I posted about not making choices based on sentiment (here). Image is another bad way to make choices. I’m not saying image isn’t important. I’m not saying that image isn’t a factor. But I think we care a lot more about image than we should. We’ve gotten trapped by the notion that “Image is Everything.”
Quite Frankly: It isn’t.
I’ve seen speakers stand up in front of a crowd of students who looked like they should have been able to connect (hoodie, designer jeans, fohawk, etc.) and they completely bombed. Yet I’ve seen other guys who seemed like they would never connect (old wrinkly skin, outdated clothes, etc.) that blew students away with the power of God’s Word. What’s the difference? Substance.
Substance is way more important than Image.
Substance means you spend time connecting with God. Substance means you study (the Word and the culture). Substance means you pray for people. Substance means you care. Substance means you live an example. Substance means you love your family and your students, but you love God more. Substance means you relentlessly pursue your students on a mission to point them to Christ.
Substance doesn’t care what computer you use, or what cell phone you carry, or what jeans you wear.
Bottom Line: Image does have some importance….but not as much as we give it sometimes. You don’t want image to get in the way of your ministry (either because you care too much about it and have no substance OR because you care too little and no student will give you the time of day because of their first impression of you.)
So don’t stop using your Mac or wearing modern clothes because of me. But, maybe we should all give ourselves a little image check.
