Monograms
Dan Kunz
Whatever happened to monograms? You know, those items with your initial or initials on them to show they are yours. Tucked away in a drawer somewhere, I still have a couple of handkerchiefs with my dad’s initial on them, which I got when he changed his address to heaven. Years ago, monograms often appeared on towels, stationary, glassware, cufflinks, and all sorts of different things. It doesn’t seem as if the monogram is as popular as it once was. Maybe it’s the circle of friends and family I have, but I don’t see them a lot.
If you research the monogram, you may find it is a Greek and Roman creation. Roman emperors made sure that the coinage of the realm had their initials on it, as well as their likeness. The Victorian era in British history seems to have advanced the use of the monogram, especially for royalty and people of noble birth. Maybe using monograms as a status symbol, helped separate the “haves” from the have nots”. Whatever the reason, it does make sense to use some sort of identifying feature to mark your things from someone else’s when necessary.
On a recent vacation to western North Dakota, my wife and I spent two days exploring the Theodore Roosevelt National Park. If you know anything about Teddy Roosevelt, you know that he credited the time he spent in North Dakota as having a big impact on his becoming our 26th President. He always loved the great outdoors, and the rugged Badlands in the Dakota Territory toughened him, inspired him, and gave him peace after the death of his wife and his mother on February 14, 1884. Although already involved in politics, Roosevelt was so enamored by the western life, he owned two different cattle ranches. If it were not for the disastrous winter of 1886-87, he might have remained a rancher his whole life. Ranching in the Badlands was only possible if your cattle were branded. With no fences, only a brand could identify yours from someone else’s. The Maltese Cross ranch and the Elkhorn were Roosevelt’s two ranches and had an appropriate brand to go with each.
God doesn’t use monograms or brands, but he does identify his possessions in all kinds of cases. If you’ve ever visited the aforementioned Theodore Roosevelt National Park, it’s easy to see God’s handiwork and artistic genius in the Painted Canyon, the Skyline Overlook, and Buckhorn Point. Appreciating God’s glory through his creation in this country and others, one can’t help but recall the words of Psalm 14:1 The fool has said in his heart, there is no God. When you travel away from city lights to a location of true darkness, the magnificence of the Milky Way, the Northern Lights, and the harvest moon might just as well have God’s monogram on them. Our God must love us very much to create such a beautiful place for us to live! Psalm 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
That’s not all. God also identifies us as his possessions! Just as the stars proclaim his handiwork, so our lives reflect the love of our Heavenly Father. When you see the best of mankind, you see a glimpse of the grace of God. Our faith is a testament to a God who has sent his own Son to die in our place, that we may live with him in a paradise even more beautiful than our earthly home. Our small acts of kindness reflect a Lord who cares deeply about us. Indeed, we are “branded” as one of God’s possessions, dearly loved and precious in his sight! Ephesians 2:10 We are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.