What is that for?

I have one of my Grandfather’s dog tags on my keychain. Everywhere I go I have it with me. A very small thing really but a reminder of the greatest man I have ever known and the best role model I had in my life. I also have my wedding ring and another ring given to me by Sarah Grace. A symbol of our love and devotion. I started thinking about these things today and all things people carry with them as a symbol or a sign of someone or something that is important to them. I just started thinking about how we have these things but they really don’t even come close to representing the importance or the power of whatever they remind us of. For example, my grandfather’s dog tag is nothing compared to who he was and what he meant to me. It is only a small reminder of someone so great. My rings are just a symbol of mine and Sarah Grace’s love. They can never come close to explaining the love that we share. I don’t believe that we should get rid of these reminders by any means, I just found it ironic that we hold things dear to us and they don’t even come close to explaining what it is that they represent or who they are a reminder of.

While thinking about that I started thinking about religious symbols that we have or participate in that do the same thing. They remind us of something but are very simply a symbol of something far greater than the symbol itself.

Wearing a Crucifix or a cross can never come close to the weight and power of the actual cross that Christ was nailed to for our sins. Taking communion can never explain to the world that Jesus’ blood and body was given as a sacrifice for us. The act of Baptism doesn’t fully explain the symbolism of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection or how our sins have been washed away and that we are committing to die to our old selves so that Christ can live through us in our new life.

Now I in no way am implying that we need to get rid of these things. I think they should always be a part of our faith. I just think it is important that we don’t get so focused on the symbol itself that we forget the full weight of what they symbolize for us. These things need to remind us and most importantly challenge us to live up to the life that we are called to. A life where we admit our need of Jesus Christ to live and commit to let Christ reign and live through our lives.