Last week, Kim and I went to Oklahoma to pick up our grandson and bring him to Texas for a few days. On our way, I saw a billboard for McDonald’s. On the billboard was just the McDonald’s logo and the exit to take to go to McDonald’s.
Seeing the billboard reminded me of the many road trips I took as a kid and now as an adult. It didn’t matter if we stopped at a McDonald’s in Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, California, Florida, or another country they were all the same. We knew what to expect when we walked in the door. Relatively clean restrooms, fast food, and the same food on every menu at every McDonald’s we visited.
The Golden Arches logo on the billboard in Oklahoma was all that was needed for me to know exactly what I was getting if I decided to pull into the next McDonald’s.
Are we like the golden arches on a billboard?
In other words, when people see us do they know what they are getting no matter where they might see us?
Are we being the authentic version of ourselves?
If the answer truly is yes, then the same version that is seen at church, seen at the grocery store, seen at the gym, seen at local events, seen by neighbors, seen by our family, seen by anyone we come in contact with.
I challenge each of us to be more like the Golden Arches of McDonald’s. When others see us they know they will get the same version no matter where we cross paths. McDonald’s has a process that ensures consistency in all restaurants all over the world. Our process is called our character. Our character ensures that we are consistent with all those we come in contact with. Like McDonald’s, if consistency waivers then processes need to be reviewed and so is true with our character.
If character waivers then we may need to review and adjust accordingly to maintain consistency in our lives.
Your Friend,
Aaron