In a world and time wherein practically everything and everyone is vying for attention, and companies splurging very high proportion of their budgets on ads and promotions, and media and brands aggressively and literally climbing and rolling over each other to have an edge, be it direct or indirect competition, the customer, the audience, the client surely is the king. At least he is made to feel so momentarily, for surely, at the end of the day, it is he who also pays for all these exercises!
In the process, everyone makes superlative claims and such claims usually go unchallenged unless the competitor feels threatened or some retired person decides to pass time by filing a public interest litigation or an infuriated client, who is already furious at his wife and circumstances, now feels thoroughly cheated by the brand too!
Now, what is the reason behind the claims that every brand and company is making? The clutter for sure is the principal reason. There are options galore. There are so many products on the shelves that people will need and won’t and there are all kinds of companies and establishments making them! Now, unless they claim to be from Andromeda and even beyond, they will go unnoticed. In fact, I think that the reason also is that, even we expect to be approached with such adjectives else the promotional stunt or effort will remain just a noise that was never heard! One "has to" claim to be the highest, the first, the best, the most, the greatest et cetera, et cetera!
But then this doesn’t seem to be a typical 21st century phenomenon! Even in the times of Jesus, we see this person coming and asking him to tell him the ‘greatest commandment’. Perhaps he only wanted to test Jesus’ priorities. But let me assume another reason for benefit of examining ourselves. Assuming this person was like me, perhaps he was not sure whether he would be able to follow all of law, so at least if the so called ‘Son of God’ could help with the ‘greatest’, it would ease the guilt and stress! Please tell us which is the most important so that we can do it and please God! So much like 21st century audience of Jesus Christ! Don’t tell us too many things, just the greatest and we will do that.
Have we not become a generation that attends and focuses only on the superlatives? We miss our devotions and meditations and then faithfully come to church and expect the pastor to serve us the best out of what he would have learnt during the week. We want someone to work and give their best while we are pursuing other things! Even in our relationship with the Lord are we not becoming a generation fulfilling just the minimum requirements so that we can escape God’s wrath? Are we not becoming a generation that might enter into God’s rest but like ones that barely escaped through a wall of flames and thus bear the smell of fumes and a reveal burnt appearance even while huddling to escape specific attention from the saints of previous generations, marching on to receive a reward from the master, if any!
Hark now to the beacon statements of Jesus, "If you love me, obey my commandments." "All who love me will do what I say." Not just the greatest, but ALL.
In the process, everyone makes superlative claims and such claims usually go unchallenged unless the competitor feels threatened or some retired person decides to pass time by filing a public interest litigation or an infuriated client, who is already furious at his wife and circumstances, now feels thoroughly cheated by the brand too!
Now, what is the reason behind the claims that every brand and company is making? The clutter for sure is the principal reason. There are options galore. There are so many products on the shelves that people will need and won’t and there are all kinds of companies and establishments making them! Now, unless they claim to be from Andromeda and even beyond, they will go unnoticed. In fact, I think that the reason also is that, even we expect to be approached with such adjectives else the promotional stunt or effort will remain just a noise that was never heard! One "has to" claim to be the highest, the first, the best, the most, the greatest et cetera, et cetera!
But then this doesn’t seem to be a typical 21st century phenomenon! Even in the times of Jesus, we see this person coming and asking him to tell him the ‘greatest commandment’. Perhaps he only wanted to test Jesus’ priorities. But let me assume another reason for benefit of examining ourselves. Assuming this person was like me, perhaps he was not sure whether he would be able to follow all of law, so at least if the so called ‘Son of God’ could help with the ‘greatest’, it would ease the guilt and stress! Please tell us which is the most important so that we can do it and please God! So much like 21st century audience of Jesus Christ! Don’t tell us too many things, just the greatest and we will do that.
Have we not become a generation that attends and focuses only on the superlatives? We miss our devotions and meditations and then faithfully come to church and expect the pastor to serve us the best out of what he would have learnt during the week. We want someone to work and give their best while we are pursuing other things! Even in our relationship with the Lord are we not becoming a generation fulfilling just the minimum requirements so that we can escape God’s wrath? Are we not becoming a generation that might enter into God’s rest but like ones that barely escaped through a wall of flames and thus bear the smell of fumes and a reveal burnt appearance even while huddling to escape specific attention from the saints of previous generations, marching on to receive a reward from the master, if any!
Hark now to the beacon statements of Jesus, "If you love me, obey my commandments." "All who love me will do what I say." Not just the greatest, but ALL.
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