Have you heard about having a Personal Brand? A few weeks ago I spoke with a marketing professional and she was talking to me about personal branding and how personal brands affect how other people perceive us. At that time she was applying this to marketing, however, I started thinking about the personal brand each one of us has in this world. According to some definitions, the personal brand, can be described as: ‘the footprint we leave in others and how they remember us[i].’ Yet, we need to acknowledge that each one of us has a unique identity and purpose. Even so, the apostles fell in the mistake of judging other people’s actions. Take John, for example, he was known as the Disciple Whom Jesus Loved, why? Because John was the one who had the best connection with our Lord during that time. John, was the type of person that usually could cause jealousy or envy in others for what he had. Let us look at the gospel:
John 21:20-21 The Passion Translation (TPT)
20 Then Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the disciple who sat close to Jesus at the Last Supper and had asked him, “Lord, who is the one that will betray you?”) 21 So when Peter saw him, he asked Jesus, “What’s going to happen to him?”
In this verse we can glance at Peter’s feelings, instead of looking at his own relationship with Jesus, he wanted to meddle in Jesus’ relationship with the beloved disciple, John. Nonetheless, it is here that we can see a personal brand. John was perceived as the one whom Jesus loved. What kind of footprint do we want to leave in others? What type of impact? Just like John had a purpose in God, so did Peter, and even though he denied Jesus 3 times, after his process of repentance and time seeking God, in just his first sermon, Peter obtained 3000 new followers for Jesus. God has called us to be unique and to fulfil a specific purpose on Earth but sometimes we tend to forget this.
Romans 8:28 New Living Translation (NLT)
28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
This means that we should not believe that someone else is better than us, someone else is more blessed, or that someone else has better skills, for each one of us has a specific purpose in Jesus Christ and the processes and trials we endure are to show the glory of God. Moreover, our purpose in God is what allows us to execute the tasks that God has assigned us to do. Additionally, we need to acknowledge that each purpose comes with a calling. Going back to John and Peter, “‘Jesus replied, “If I decide to let him live until I return, what concern is that of yours? You must still keep on following me!”’ (John, 21:22, TPT), we can observe that Jesus told Peter that whatever happens to John, it is none of his business, that he should just focus on following Him and do His will.
Therefore, what we need to consider is that our path(footprint) on Earth has a different purpose than our neighbour’s, since we came here to edify the body of Christ and not to be copies of someone else, we are meant to complement each other so we can help each other out and reach success together. Each one of us was specifically designed by God to have our own personal brand thus influencing the world according to His purpose and His design. The psalmist, David, says:
Psalm 139:16 New King James Version (NKJV)
16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written,
The days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them.
This psalm indicates us that God took care in forming each one of us in a unique, original manner so that there was no imitation in us. Each one of us was sealed with a destiny and a purpose in God. Thinking that our Lord took such concern as to write every single day of our lives in His book, means that He wants us to leave a footprint, an impact, a mark in each of the spheres of influence that our Father assigned for us to be.
John 15:16 The Passion Translation (TPT)
16 You didn’t choose me, but I’ve chosen and commissioned you to go into the world to bear fruit. And your fruit will last, because whatever you ask of my Father, for my sake, he will give it to you!
Taking the previous verse, Jesus indicates us that each one of us was chosen exclusively by Him and commissioned to be productive, fruitful, and efficient. Even more, taking into consideration that commissioning means: ‘to authorize; send on a mission,[ii]’ we can induce that if we are not commissioned to a specific area then we cannot bear fruit, be efficient, and much less be productive in that area for only in the area that God authorises and commissions us we can have fruit that lasts. Likewise, the moment that we give fruit in the area our Father entrusts us with, then we can pray and obtain the answers that we need from our Heavenly Father.
Therefore, dear readers, let us remember that each one of us has a personal brand with which we will impact the world, but we cannot use the brand of someone else to create that impact. Let us assume our roles to edify the body of Christ and let us allow God the Father act in us in each task we have been assigned and hence we will see the hand of God in every petition we have for Him.
And if you have not accepted our Lord Jesus in your heart, or you want to reconcile your relationship with Him, I urge you to do it today and pray the following prayer out loud:
‘Lord Jesus, I ask you for forgiveness of my sins, for my sins separate me from you. I recognize you as my only, sufficient and truthful Saviour. I break every covenant with the world, with the flesh and with the enemy. I give you thanks for the sacrifice in the cross. I know if I were to die today, I will be in your arms. Amen.’
If you prayed this prayer today, write to me at kltapiahernandez@gmail.com, I would love to hear from you. And if this edified you, please share it with someone else. We are a family in Christ and we are here to help each other out. May God bless you!
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