How American Express Helps Us to Smile Upon God’s Work

by Erik on Jan 12th, 2010

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Like most, I am drawn in by the creativity of these commercials. American Express has done a great job making you laugh, smile, and (most importantly for them) think positively about their brand.

As I watch the commercials I can’t help but see the gospel parallels.

The camera finds smiley faces everywhere. At first it is pretty easy to spot, but by the end of the one minute spot you are seeing smiley faces in places you might not ordinarily see. You are being ‘trained’ so to speak, to see the smiles.

Think with me about the renewed mind of the Christian. You have been given eyes to see the glory of God in creation and in real time events. You are to spot God’s the smiling work of God’s glorious creation and providence as you encounter life.

We are to see him in the sunrise. We see him in the mirror as we consider creation and redemption. We see his glory in time with our children, as we consider that they are a gift from him. We see his glory in our conversations with our spouse. We see it in the lives of unbelievers as they even communicate something of God’s image and glory in their lives and vocations. We see his glory in the created world around us. We see it in the food we eat and our taste buds that communicate its flavor. We see his glory when talk to others and realize that God is graciously showing them more of his Son, and conforming them into his image. And on and on the list could go.

You may rightly say that everything and everyone is sovereignly trademarked with the brand ‘Soli Deo Gloria‘ or ‘The Glory of God alone.’ Everything and everyone were made by God and for God. He is the chief end.

As Christians we should learn from the creative passion of American Express and find ourselves looking upon everything with the question, “How does this communicate the glory of God?”

This practice will not doubtless prove to be both refreshing and rewarding.

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