14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.” ~ Matthew 5:14 (NKJV)
By Bro. John L. Cash
It’s so much fun to be a weekly columnist like me. Very often, readers send me a note to let me know that they liked my column. I’m always amazed at the essays that they single out. For instance, last week some folks told me that they liked my story about a box of generic breakfast cereal. Since (apparently) I’m “on a roll” here, I thought I’d write a second installment on the subject of “Things That Are Great About Store-Brands.”
So, as I was saying, another reason that store-brands are so much fun is that they have the coolest recipes in the world on their boxes. For instance, here’s a recipe for muffins from a box of “Best Choice” bran flakes.
1 1/2 cups Best Choice® Enriched Bran Flakes Cereal
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (3 medium)
1/2 cup Best Choice® Milk
1 Best Choice® Egg
1/4 cup Best Choice® Sugar
3 tablespoons Best Choice® Vegetable Oil
1 cup Best Choice® All-Purpose Flour
2 teaspoons Best Choice® Baking Powder
1/4 teaspoon Best Choice® Baking Soda
1/8 teaspoon Best Choice® Ground Nutmeg
Have you noticed that every ingredient in this recipe is a “Best Choice” brand product? Well, actually, the bananas don’t specify a brand. (What do you want to bet it’s because “Best Choice” doesn’t sell bananas?)
I’m pretty sure this recipe would turn out OK if you used a name-brand product instead of a generic. For instance, if you stirred in “Borden” milk rather than “Best Choice” milk, the batter wouldn’t give off a poisonous gas. I suspect it would turn out just fine either way. But the “Best Choice” company is using a smart tactic; they’re using their influence to try to persuade you to use their products.
Now, let me tell you, this way of thinking is not a bad thing at all. We all have influence, and we need to use every bit of influence we have to try to bring about good things in this world. And sometimes we don’t have to do very much at all to make a big (sometimes eternal) difference.
Not too long ago, Susan was chatting with a friend who was going through a bad time in her life. Susan told her that she (personally) had found great help in her relationship with the Lord — specifically as a part of His Church. She suggested that her friend (who didn’t belong to a church) try visiting a worship service.
Her friend followed her advice and started going to a Bible study on Sunday mornings. Susan suggested a very understandable version of the Scriptures to her friend, and sent her a copy. These were small things—mere suggestions. But these little gestures brought about a wonderful outcome. Her friend believed the Gospel, gave her life to the Lord, and on Easter she was baptized into Christ.
You see, it all starts with a simple suggestion. Use every bit of influence that you have for the Lord this week. That’s just my suggestion. 🙂
Dr. John L. Cash is the “Country Preacher Dad.” He was raised in Stuttgart, Arkansas, and has spent the last 30 years being a country preacher in the piney woods five miles south of the little town of Hickory, Mississippi. (On week days has a desk-job at a public school, where he used to teach Latin on closed-circuit-television.) He and his lovely wife, Susan, live in the parsonage next door to the Antioch Christian Church (where the Preacher got a great report from his cardiologist this week.) Their kids include Spencer (age 24), his wife Madeline (age 24), and Seth (age 21). You can send him a note at brotherjohn@ilovechurchcamp.com.
