“Are those Crocs? I like the way they look!”
“Nope,” I told the two inquisitive ladies in the hot tub that my waterproof clogs were not, in fact, Crocs.
“Oh... are they from Target or something?”
“No”, I responded to the persistent woman, “I got them from the Christmas Tree Shop”.
Her face dropped as she said with a slight hint of disgust, “Oh, they are No Brand”.
That ended the conversation between us. I thought it best to just close my eyes and continue to let the warm water wash over my aching joints, rather than to respond to her unspoken evaluation of my shoes.
Do you ever feel like you are “No Brand”? Like no one sees your value? Perhaps you spend time comparing yourself to famous people or even people who may not be well known, but they have something about them that you deem as “special”. I’d like to encourage you to stop doing that, today.
What I wanted to say to the senior citizen, twin sisters at the gym was that my shoes had been put to the test in the seashell bottom of the ocean floor as well as many water aerobics classes in the pool. For over 3 years, these shoes have held up with good support and comfort for every task, in every situation.
Like my “No Brand” shoes, I want to encourage you to continue to show up and perform well, even if no one else celebrates your brand. Continue to look your best and provide comfort and support to those around you. Function well in your purpose! Before long, someone will ask about how you became you, and your simple response can be, “I was crafted well by my Father, built to last.”
“...body and soul, I am marvelously made!”
Psalm 139:13-16 (MSG)
