Wearing your identity

I know, I know, it's been way too long. Well, I've finally got a few things I'd like to post, so here I am again. I promise recent photos of Kate and her third birthday will follow shortly. Thanks for sticking with me! Until then... here are some recent thoughts I've had:

So, Martin and I have a friend who introduced us to Ron Paul. Now, I know many people think he's pretty out there, but this post actually has little to do with our political bent. What it does have to do with is our identity.

A few weeks back, just before the California primaries, we received a Ron Paul pin which my sweet daughter was proudly sporting on her little coat as we walked through the grocery store. I had prepared my answers beforehand, just in case anyone actually asked us about Ron Paul, and found that the fact that Kate was wearing his pin was at the forefront of my mind. We made it through the entire shopping spree without incident,... not even one question, or glare, but as I was driving home I got to thinking about how I acted during our "adventure." I was acutely aware that everyone who noticed our pin, might actually notice our actions as well. Whether I smiled at the deli girl, or let the person at the end of the isle pass first before exiting my isle, everything I did could be noticed and attached in either a positive or negative way to Ron Paul.

While I have never actually met the guy, here I was representing him to my community, and feeling the pressure/responsibility to act in a way that brought him and his campaign honor. I thought about how differently I might act in everyday situations if "Christ" were written across my forehead. Here is the man who knows me most intimately, and who gave His life for me, and out of my love for Him my life should be a reflection of Him no matter what I'm wearing. But boy, if I was wearing something the identified me to Him, perhaps the way I handle myself each moment of each day would be different. What an ugly reality check.

Maybe I should give a second thought to those WWJD bracelets or bumper stickers.