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“Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love,
just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us.” – Ephesians 5:1
“This space for rent.” You’ve seen the message while driving. An advertising firm
wants to sell some billboard space.
Recently that notice has begun appearing somewhere else – on parts of people’s anatomy!
Andrew Fischer, a 20 year-old web page designer from Omaha, started it all. This past
January he gained national attention by making his forehead available as advertising space.
On the internet auction site eBay he offered to wear as temporary tattoo, for 30 days,
whatever logo the highest bidder chose. Snore Stop, a manufacturer of anti-snoring products,
paid Fischer $37,375 to be its walking billboard. Since then other enterprising people have
come forward to do the same, agreeing to wear temporary or permanent tattoos (in modest or
immodest locations on their bodies) to make some easy money.
What do you think? Creative or crazy? Would you do it?
Actually, another message appears all over us: “This space taken by Jesus.” As believers in
Jesus we are already walking billboards for the One who died and rose for us! We’re imitators
of God (Eph 5:1), redeemed children whose lives in every aspect display the love of their adoptive
heavenly Father. “This space taken by Jesus” reads our hearts. Our desires are patterned after his.
“This space taken by Jesus” reads our minds. No indecent or improper thoughts reside here, only what
is pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy. “This space taken by Jesus” reads our hands,
as they actively serve and make the Savior’s compassion evident in the world.
Satan tries to muddy the billboard. In every way he can imagine he wants to obscure that message.
But washed clean by a daily remembrance of baptism and with the Holy Spirit wiping away the smudges
of sin through contrition and repentance, the immaculate billboard still reads: “This space taken
by Jesus.” We’re walking billboards – advertising to God’s glory – his grace in Christ.
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