‘What do you mean by Bruno, I’m not a dog?” So many people have asked me this question. What I always tell them is this: “You know, Bruno means brown and some people with brown dogs like to name them Bruno. So, when I tell people my name, they say, ‘that’s a dog’s name!’I always tell them, yeah! But, I’m not a dog”. It is good to know who you are; better still, to tell others who you are. The best is to derive values whether in cash or kind from the knowledge and understanding of who you are. You were created to add values to others. Your worth is measured by the amount of value you add to others. If you do not know the real you and you are unable to tell who you are, people will take you for what they think you are and place little or no value on you.
The search for the real you is the search for your personal brand. It is the process of knowing your true character, the understanding of your divine identity and the wisdom to blend your personality and relationship with your world to gain competitive advantage. My search started during my university days. At my first and second levels, I had very good grades, but when I got to the third level, I became a playboy. It affected my result so badly that I eventually passed out of the university with a third class degree. I was so ashamed of myself that I didn’t attend my convocation ceremony.
I resolved that I was going to go back to school and purposed to make a first class, at least to prove to my parents that I was intelligent. During my (Compulsory) National Youth Service year, I spent most of my spare time reading books, novels and reading materials that caught my attention. The more I read, the more I discovered that there was a deep hollow within me. I sensed something was missing in my life but I could not lay my hands on it until I read a book: “How to Have a Good Life”, by T.L. Osborne. After reading the book, I realized that I needed to discover who I was and my purpose on earth. I was made to understand that the only way I could find answers to these questions was to start reading the bible even though; I did not have a bible as at that time.
Later in the day, I went to visit a friend. When I got to his room, I saw two bibles- a big one and a small one. I requested for the small one and my friend gave it to me. You can’t imagine how happy I was! I would wake up in the middle of the night to read it. I started with the books of John, Luke, Mark, and Matthew simultaneously and before long, I had read the entire bible, both the new and the old testaments. I discovered that, it was the word of God that I needed to fill the vacuum that was in me. So I decided to get more committed to the reading of the word of God.
Since then my life has never been the same. The more of the word of God that I read, the more peace of mind I got. In the process, I became very bold, (I used to be very shy). Through reading the bible, I discovered my gifts, and one of them that I really treasure is writing.
Bruno is a type of the modern day Christian or a believer of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. If you are a believer, then you are a Bruno, if you are not according to the scripture; you are a dog in the sight of God. This is where my personal branding started-the search for my essence started from here. It is either you are a believer (Bruno) or an unbeliever (a dog.)The holy bible in the book of Matthew 15:21 confirmed it; “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.” Jesus Christ told them a parable. ‘Children’ as it is used in the context above refers to the Israelites while in modern day, it refers to the Christians, the believers (See Matthew 15:24 and John 6:48-51.) ‘Dog’ on the other hand refers to the Gentiles. Gentiles are known as the non-Christians (unbelievers), those that are not born-again. The dogs are unholy people and the Bible warns that: “Do not give what is holy to the dogs.” – Matthew 7:6
Dogs are scoffers, shameless people who always return back to their vomit. They are envious, blasphemous and always in opposition to the things of God. No wonder it is written in Phil. 3:2 “Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation!” If you are Bruno (a believer), you are branded righteous and if you are a dog in the sight of God, you are also a brand but a sinner!
The bread is the word of life which molds or builds the character of a brand. The word of life: Justifies, Edifies, Sanctifies, Understands and Saves
A believer eats from the master’s table while the dogs (sinners or unbelievers) live on crumbs. “…The dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their master’s table.” They are unlike the children that eat from the master’s table. They steal, cheat and do all kinds of evil.
I was once a dog, a chief sinner. Eph. 2:12 best describes me. “...at that time I was without Christ, being alien from the commonwealth of Israel and stranger from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus I who once was far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” The glory is to God! I am now a new creature, not a dog anymore. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature, old things are pass away: behold all things are become new.”11Cor.5:17.
As if that was not enough, He calls me: “A chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people, that I should show forth the praises of Him who hath called me out of darkness into His marvelous light.”1 Pet. 2:9.
What a great privilege! What a great honor! What a great opportunity to let you know that if you have not accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour, you are a dog in the sight of God. But the good news is that, God can change you, like Bruno, you can boldly say, you are not a dog. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life”. John 3:16
It is written: “But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and of earth: and some to honor, and some to dishonor. If a man therefore purges himself from these, he shall be vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.” 11 Tim. 2:2-21
Why don’t you make use of today’s opportunity and change your status in the sight of God. I have changed mine some years ago. You can now see why I say I’m not a dog.
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