July 27, 2011
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The jeans YOU deserve!
Here’s a video about jeans on Studio5′s site.
I tried to find it because my girlfriend bought a pair of jeans she said was her favorite on sale. Being curious, and maybe spoiling my surprise, I checked online to find it. And I came up with this.
“…One of the oldest and biggest problems of most women today and that is: jeans.”
“… and I believe every girl deserves at least one awesome designer pair in their closet.”
OK. I am going to pause that right now.
I am sick of this language. “The ________ YOU deserve” or “Everyone who is _________ deserves a _________”.
Fill in the blanks.
This is a common advertising slogan. “Get the settlement YOU deserve!” or, more overt, “Get the money you deserve” for lawyers. I see it everywhere. I saw it on a billboard ad down Germantown Ave, I think it was insurance or something. Doesn’t make sense. I also hear people say, “buy one of those, you deserve it.” Or even giving me a gift, and saying “hey, you deserve it.” I’m thinking I don’t. Even my girlfriend will say about something she wants or needs that she deserves it. Advertising for schooling, “everyone deserves an education.” Or for the prom “every girl deserves an invite to the prom”. Or for grants, “everyone deserves to be a homeowner.” Or for women, “every woman deserves the wedding of her dreams.” I heard it even on a Toys for Tots commercial, “because every child deserves a gift on for the holidays.”
TO HELL WITH ALL OF IT. For from Hell it all came, and in Hell it belongs.
And on the road to Hell you will find yourself if you believe the slogans. Your jaw may be dropping. If we think anything otherwise, we have completely lost perspective about our situation. Some cultures know they don’t deserve $30,000+ weddings of their dreams, the lump sums awarded that make lawyers rich, the humanist university education, and some –get this– have never even heard of Prom. Get out of yourself for a moment. Transcend your greed and your pride. Transcend your self-serving you have been taught. Step out of your sickening bag flesh you call beauty — with all its irony of covering with makeup and designer denim– and find something of eternal worth. Your greed will never be satisfied. Your pride will always bring your downfall. Beauty is fleeting, though some grasp at it like chasing after the wind.
In reality, we deserve Hell. By Hell, I mean, eternal conscious suffering in a lake of fire after death. Don’t believe me? It isn’t said by my authority. It is by the ancient wisdom of God which even now speaks to us. For by God prophets have spoken that everyone will be judged for what they have done, whether good or bad. They who are judged good are put on the right, and those on the left the bad. If you know yourself, if you “know thyself”, if you have any awareness of your past, you feel this. You know you don’t love God, or, if you do, you have rebelled against Him and depend on His forgiveness for your treachery. This isn’t like being a jerk to the guy you know from class, or doing poorly at work for your boss. This is someone else. This is the supreme God of the universe, who calls all people to worship Him. All the things He has made He deserves praise and glory from. We are made to love Him. If we don’t, we are saying “screw you” to the Maker. He has a right to be fed up with our childish behavior.
All this “I deserve” and “you deserve” language we often hear comes from either hyperbole to get your attention, or the firm assumption that we don’t deserve Hell, we have had a hard life, and you should have better, “Because you’re worth it.” L’Oreal. We’re worth squat. This is what makes grace so beautiful. Though I was made a beautiful bike, I crashed and broke my frame; my wheel popped off and I’ve been rusting ever since. Instead of tossing me into the junkyard to bake in the hot sun forever, the bike owner came out, cleaned off the rust, souldered my cracks, gave me a new wheel. Now I can be useful for his purposes. But did I deserve it? No. It would’ve been right and expected to toss me into the trash heap. But I was rescued from that. And anyone who has any awareness of his own sin should feel this this need, this dependence too.
So, give up your bloody “I deserve” if it is anything less than hell. You’re off your rocker. Life owes you nothing. Your employer might owe you a wage by contract, your spouse might owe you an apology. But life still owes you nothing. Give it up. Instead, ask God not to give you what you deserve, and ask Him to give you grace. His unmerited favor toward you that you could never earn, never deserve, and He freely gives to those who love Him, according to His purpose. If you do, it doesn’t mean you finally get the “one awesome designer pair in their closet, ” but it does mean you can have lasting joy that isn’t bound in stuff. Temporary possessions.
I am sick of all this self-serving dribble. Do I deserve it, if I never hear it again? That’d be more than fine.
Picture is copyright, all rights reserved. The link to the video again:
Comments (3)
this whole thing came from me buying a pair of jeans. What a strong response, but you have changed my views about saying I deserve things… you really have.
@SJ - hah, though yes you started this pipe dream, it is not aimed back to hose you down!
You have courage, li’l bro! The courage of your convictions! You may need to learn to apply the truth with a gentle touch. Look what Jeremiah had to go through! Just for obediently and unfailingly declaring the truth! Your post is truly refreshing – as always!