Brand of the Believer
“What do you do?”
As if by some unspoken law, that question has come to follow nearly every handshake between men. Interestingly, we find that question, and the resulting answer, to be the foundation for what may become a relationship, albeit without much depth.
Does it matter if someone is a CEO or a school janitor; a business owner or a barista?
In 1 Peter, we are called to love the brotherhood and honor everyone. Yet, the foundation of many relationships between brothers in Christ are built on a shallow surface. The roots rarely go deeper. Without depth, it’s difficult to show honor and display love for the brotherhood. Rather, we become idle, even dull, because the stagnate-self deteriorates below the surface. The proverbial “Iron sharpens iron” loses its edge. Instead, we find ourselves collecting rust.
We ask shallow questions and share awkward pleasantries because we find it difficult to answer the truly important questions about ourselves; those that really define who we are. Consequently, most men are content to be defined by a job title, because it helps us avoid answering more difficult questions.
In my workplace, questions about identity, purpose, and assignment come up regularly. I own a small branding agency named Longitude°. We specialize in strategic brand development, positioning, and identity design for businesses and organizations large and small. We’ve worked with dozens of incredible brands around the globe – each one with unique challenges and goals.
At the beginning of our projects, we lead our clients through an intensive, guided workshop called BrandGPS®. During these sessions we help leaders uncover and define their identity and purpose, which ultimately helps guide them in making important business decisions. Through the years, I’ve seen first-hand that building a successful brand for a business is about uncovering the authentic story and purpose that lies beneath the surface, rather than trying to create something from nothing.
Branding, as we approach it at Longitude°, is about uncovering who you are, your purpose, what makes you unique. It’s about how to bring value to your customers in a compelling way. It’s about building the reputation you want through intentional, authentic, strategic actions. We often describe these reputation-building efforts through personal examples of how an individual may craft their own reputation through the clothes they wear, the activities they’re involved in, the words they use, and much more.
After hosting dozens of these workshops over the years, it’s led me to consider my own brand. I’ve used a similar set of questions to dig deeper, asking myself:
Who am I?
Why am I here?
What then should I do?
Left unanswered, these questions have led to great struggles and unrest in the lives of men for centuries. Consider Adam in the garden; when he was created, he knew his identity, purpose, and assignment. He was made in the image of God, given dominion over all living things on earth, and told to be fruitful and multiply. Everything was defined, and he was in perfect relationship and communion with the Creator.
The outcome of a well-defined life is alignment with God and his perfect will for us.
God made man in his image. This truth has never changed. However, while man’s identity, purpose, and assignment remained well-defined, sin’s arrival in the garden disoriented man’s core beliefs. Man’s curiosity turned to questioning. Questioning led to confusion. Confusion led to uncertainty. Uncertainty led to insecurity.
The uncertain, undefined life of a man is unsettling, especially if we consider the outcomes.
This leads me to the ultimate question which prompted my writing of this essay:
What is the brand of the believer?
An excerpt from the forthcoming piece Brand of the Believer, Kinsmen Journal, Volume 1, by Jeremy Wells.
