I am a diabetic. As such I must watch my diet - by its content and its portion size. I also a cereal lover. My favorite cereal, Honeynut Cheerios, is acceptable on my diet if I don't overdo it. They are not always, however, particularly inexpensive.
I am also a man on a budget. Dianne and I are trying to pay down some debts and also fund a mission trip this summer, so we are watching our pennies. The other day I was doing the grocery shopping.
When I came to the cereal aisle, my eyes fell upon the store's generic brand of my cereal--Honey oat something or other. The carbs, sugar and calories were similar. The price was almost two dollars less per box. I bought the generic.
Some generics are reasonable substitutes for the name brand. But some are not. "Honey oat whatevers" were not. In fact, I took a second look at the first bite to see if I had accidentally gotten a piece of the cardboard box into my cereal bowl. Even with cold milk and my eyes closed, this stuff did not taste good. The penny-pincher in me will probably finish them; but I will not buy them again.
The real deal, once you have enjoyed it, cannot be matched by the generic.
A lot of us live spiritually in reverse. We have only ever partaken of a generic faith rather than a genuine relationship with Christ. It doesn't cost as much and we don't know the difference. We live on the cardboard substance of what should rich and flavorful.
It may be okay to consume generics for your pocketbook's sake, and generics may be nutritious if not passable as breakfast cereal. But for the feeding our soul and the nourishment of our lives nothing can ever be as good as the name brand - and the name is Jesus.
(C) 2011 by Stephen L Dunn
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