Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.
-Deuteronomy 6:8 (NIV)

In the Jewish culture, statements like these in scripture were often taken literally. Very literally. Jewish men would sometimes wear what’s called a phylactery, a small box containing scrolls of scripture that were attached to their hands and foreheads. The purpose behind this verse in Deuteronomy was to symbolically keep their faith in God close to their hands and minds, but many Pharisees and scribes acted it out for notoriety. That’s why Jesus calls them out on this practice in Matthew 23:5. The Message describes them as “religious fashion shows.” Ouch.

Whether we admit it or not, just like the hypocritical Pharisees and scribes, we ultimately want it to appear that we’ve got it all together in the religion department as well. If I’m honest with myself, I wonder how many “symbols” of my faith are really just there for show…

Do I really use that enormous, 8-inch thick Bible on the coffee table, or do I just want others who enter my home to think I’m a consistent Bible reader? Do I really wear that cross necklace as a reminder of Christ’s sacrifice, or do I just want others to think I’m a “good guy”? Do I really listen to Christian music as a way to worship my God, or do I just not want others to think I listen to the “bad” stuff? Do I really bring my Bible to church every Sunday morning because I desperately want to dig into the Word, or do I just want others to be impressed? Do I really want to show thankfulness to my Father for taking care of my every need, or do I just not want the booth next to me at the restaurant to think I’m an unbeliever?

When things that are supposed to remind us of God instead become things to draw attention to ourselves, then the original purpose is completely disgraced. Whether its a phylactery or a coffee table Bible, the intent has to be about remembrance, not reputation.

Otherwise, it’s just a religious fashion show.