Today's Devotional

April 5, 2005

Subject:  Platinum Cardmember

Mark 9:41 - "For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward."

For the last 4 or 5 months, I've been getting a variety of solicitations by mail telling me that I've been pre-approved for various credit cards.  That's not an uncommon occurrence for any of us.  It doesn't even matter if you've got a job, credit or even if you're still alive.  I once got one for Caylah when she was about 3.  Anyway, I usually simply shred them unopened and toss them into the nearest trash receptacle (that's the same thing as a trash can for non-Platinum Cardmembers).

I actually read through one of the latest ones that I received before trashing it.  It was for a Platinum Card from American Express.  It was interesting to see how special they attempted to make you feel.  Several of the lines began, "and as an American Express Platinum Cardmember, you get access to... or you don't have to wait for ... or you're exclusively entitled to..."  Okay, I was not impressed.  It wasn't that some of the things they were offering weren't nice.  It's just that those ads always appeal to your sense of belonging, which never works for me because I'm already a part of the most exclusive club on earth and boy does it have a great rewards program.  

The credit card pitch works with many people because they feel like the credit card company actually wants to make them somebody by giving them this card.  With this card, they are now able to be extra-special or perhaps they can now leap tall buildings in a single bound.  Yes, you are better than those who don't have such a card.  However, as the verse says, Christians shouldn't feel this way.  We belong to Christ.  We've all got life memberships in His club and there's no annual fee, but there is a lifetime of sacrifice.  Yes you have to give up yourself, but as I've said before, the rewards program is out of this world.    

Carlen