New Look, Same Great Taste

My literary fascinations, for what they're worth, have always drawn me to the common marketing phrase "New Look, Same Great Taste." It's a pretty sound tagline for products that have underwent a facelift. It's the manufacturer's way of saying, "notice our new pretty packaging, but don't get scared that we might have changed what's inside." I've seen it on Pepsi packaging, bread bags, and the box of Key Lime pie I raided from the office fridge just a few hours ago. The other night, however, as Amanda and I were buying groceries, I noticed that our regular Apple Juice brand had changed their bottle design. I looked and there was no "New Look, Same Great Taste" sticker. Almost immediately, I got a little worried it might taste differently (even though it's kinda hard to change the apple juice 'formula'). Isn't that almost unfair to that company? As a consumer, I've grown so used to having a disclaimer that says nothing has changed about a product that I question the inside simply on the changes made on the outside.

Spiritual applications?

So many of us are quick to judge when congregations make visible changes. If a congregation of the Lord's church plans a building project, buys new songbooks, adds a basketball goal outside, gets a bigger church bus, and anything else similar, we begin to wonder "have they turned liberal?" We almost act as if the Lord's money can't be used to make the Lord's work more efficient. Changes and improvements must be made throughout time to continue to carry out the Lord's mission of seeking and saving the lost (Luke 19:10). (As a caveat, though, the changes and improvements congregations make should not keep them from looking like the New Testament church, though.)

However, we must not be so quick to change things that we negate the good of what's inside. I assume Paul knew the importance of good public speaking skills, yet he said that he didn't desire to go to the Corinthians with "excellence of speech" because he didn't want anything--even his speech--to overshadow the cross. Just as brethren shouldn't be judgemental based on outward and opinion-based changes, other brethren shouldn't make changes at the cost of Truth. There is only one way of carrying out the Lord's work to the world: preaching and teaching the Truth (Acts 8:4); there are many methods, however, that facilitate this goal. The method (man's choices) must never take precedence over the Way (Lord's will). We shouldn't take more time and spend more money on the "packaging" than we do on the "gift" itself.

As the church, we have a responsibility to study, proclaim, and hold on to the Truth of the gospel. In carrying that gospel to the world, it can be very easy to improve our "look" at the expense of our "taste." May we never deprive the world of the taste it needs the most...the Bread of Life.