What is in a Brand Name?

I have always loved brand names.

From the time I was in third grade and all my friends wore Keds, I have been aware of the power of wearing a "name".
My mom didn't want to spend the $25 on real Keds - so instead I wore the Payless version, which didn't have a blue tag on the back. This made my eight year old heart feel a bit "less than" the cool kids.

In fourth and fifth grade, everyone wore Guess jeans and Espirit outfits - also something I never owned. And oh, the conflict this created between my mom and me! Still, the underlying issue was that I wasn't secure enough in my own name to hold my head high in my JCPenney clothes.

I still love a designer name on my clothes. From Ralph Lauren to Juicy Couture, I love the confidence booster and status I feel when I wear them.....and don't even get me started on purses and handbags.
The name lust doesn't stop at clothes; I love to dress my home in Williams & Sonoma and Crate & Barrel.

What is up with this?

Not only is this an issue of insecurity, I think it's an identity crisis. See, I have concluded that my love for all things brand name is rooted in the desire to belong.....or to be accepted. By adorning my body, shoulders, or living room with a "name", I am letting people know I belong to the Cool Club.

In Isaiah 44:5, the Lord says, "Some will proudly claim, 'I belong to the Lord.' Others will say, 'I am a descendant of Jacob.' Some will write the Lord's name on their hands and will take the honored name of Israel as their own." (NLT)

This verse got me thinking about my name brand issue....and I plan to dive further into this topic because the very next verse starts the discussion of manufactured idols. Hmm....
It's not that I consciously bow down to Seven for all Mankind jeans, but am I not worshipping these things to some degree? Talk about getting the sharp end of the Sword of the Spirit on this topic! This hurts!

When it comes right down to it, I am a child of the Great Designer of all Creation. He tops Dolce & Gabbana and/or Diane Von Furstenberg in His artistry.....and no pair of blue jeans can wash this deluded heart whiter than snow.

Matthew 2:21 - "And His name will be the hope of the world."
Philippians 2:9 - "Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

Given the Truth of the verses above, with whom do I truly want to identify? The Maker of the Universe or the maker of really cool handbags? The Ancient of Days or the Hot-for-One-Season scarf?
When I think of it that way - the best choice is obvious.....maybe not so easy at times....but obvious.

Besides that, Jesus picked me and wanted me to belong to Him so much that He has my name written on His hand:

"See, I have written your name on the palms of my hands." (Isaiah 49:16 NLT)

Enough said.