June 8, 2023 - To those who know us, it would come as no surprise that other than the Longhorn Network, probably our favorite channel to watch on television is the Food Network. We have several shows that are among our favorites and one of those is “The Pioneer Woman”. The Drummond family owns a large cattle ranch in Oklahoma and part of the show us usually devoted to what is taking place on the ranch as well as the recipes Ree Drummond shares with her audience.
I remember a segment where they were branding cattle on the ranch. Branding season usually is in the spring of the year, and we know that the purpose of branding cattle is so that they will bear the mark of their owner.
Well, that started the old wheels turning in my head. You see, Jesus wants us to carry His brand. Paul said in Galatians 6:17. “I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus”. Paul possible was referring to the stripes he received in Philippi, or the emaciation of his body due to hunger. And yet, he might well have been referring to certain things about himself that identified him with the cause of Christ.
Jesus told us that the mark of discipleship was love. Before he went to the cross, he told His disciples in John 13:34-35, “A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” Just as cattle on the ranch will bear the mark of the owner, when we love each other we will be branded by Jesus, we will carry the mark of Jesus Christ to whom we belong.
It’s something to think about... tbp
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