Thursday, August 28, 2008
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Theology from a Snickers Bar
Next time you're in the grocery store checkout-lane, take a glance at the packaging on the various candies. Most of the wrappers offer some sort of explanation as to what is contained within, such as: "Crispety, crunchety, peanut-buttery!" Recognize that one? How about this one? "Whipped up, fluffy chocolate on chocolate taste!" Or, "Chocolate Caramel Cookie Bars!"
Well, look at a Snickers bar; you'll likely see nothing that offers a description of that kind. Only recently has their marketing agency begun adding strange descriptors to the back of the wrapper, improvised words such as, "Nougatocity, Substantialiscious, or Peanutopolis."
This candy has been a favorite since I discovered candy. About 6 years ago, I found a 48-count box at a restaurant supplier for $18.00, which I finished in less than two weeks. It was in this Snickers-saturated period that I noticed a very admirable trait in the candy. A Snickers bar is so confident that you know exactly what it is that if feels no need to offer a descriptor. And if you don't know? You can either choose to find out or walk away, and Snickers doesn't seem to care.
Imagine if we could be like that.
If we could refrain from dropping little clues in our conversation as to where we work, what we own, what we like or dislike, where we went to school, what we've achieved, who we know... Imagine how wonderful to go through life not advertising what we are, confident that some may wish to know us better, and still be okay when others don't. Thrilled when some people love us...and unscathed should others not have a taste for what we offer. Not everybody liked Jesus, so don't be surprised when everybody doesn't like you. Certainly self-reflect to ascertain any part you may have played...but after that, move on!
For as long as I've liked Snicker bars, I've disliked myself. Therefore, each slight played-out against me further depressed what little self-worth I had. That made me feel a need to advertise myself: "I have a degree in this. I work here. I've done this." Yet none of those are who I am, and more than that, for each check I place in the positive column of my life, I can quickly place checks in the negative column.
Some thoughts I had...
If I had a candy-wrapper around me, would anyone even want to take it off to see what I really am? Would they be too distracted by all my own self-advertisement to feel they had anything to discover? Am I even advertising the wrong thing?
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Comments (16)
Good post.
I've been studying in spiritual formation class this week about the fact that God's love for us should be the foundation of our self-worth. If it is, then slights by others won't shake us because we know Who cares for us and Who loves us just as we are. That frees us up to give of ourselves to others without needing them to give us a sense of self-worth.
It's amazing how much worth I put on the things about
me, and so little on just me. I bet if you asked those that love me
what they love, few (if any) of their answers would be stuff like "he
goes to UT" or "he has a good job". All of the stuff you want to
advertise are most likely not what others love most about you.
Great post. (Except that now I want a Snickers!)
Wonderful post!
So insightful! It really makes me think, not to mention hungry! I think it also provides us with a challege to accept each other for who we are despite what wrapper we place on ourselves and work more on the inside than the advertising on the outside!
interesting....
@UTAlan - that was very insightful. I hadn't thought about how the things we list on a resume wouldn't even hint at the things that people love us for!
Theology from chocolate.. I love it...very insightful and thought-provoking. Who knew that chocolate had those qualities among all the other amazing qualities it has
"Sound the feasting horn... the feast is ruined." hahaha. that's what i always think about whenever i have a snickers bar!
A-mazing post. I love it. And the thing is, so many of us do walk around disguised in our own personally disigned wrappers. The thing is, even if a person would be glad to have someone know them beyond the wrapper, few actually take the time to discover what's inside.
I love this! I hope you don't mind if I borrow this for a Bible study I attend, do you?
Very excellent post....I may use this in a class next week, if you don't mind? I teach in a Christian school, and this is perfect for those high school boys I have last period of the day..
Perhaps this is like ourselves? We should let people chose if they want us without us describing ourselves for them.
great post. i needed to hear that.
and snickers also happen to be one of the few candies i actually enjoy. :)
It's not about us, anyway. It's about Him. Maybe the Snickers bar realizes it isn't about itself, but about the joy that comes from eating it? I don't know, the theology gets a little thin right about there, but I wouldn't mind being more like a Snickers bar. Good post.
Blue
That's an interesting angle on this...
Excellent post.