As human beings, we like what’s familiar to us because it brings us comfort, security, and joy. We all get nostalgic for some of the things that remind us of the good times in our past. Maybe it’s your favorite family vacation spot every summer or your favorite cartoons growing up. Such things bring joy to our hearts because of the meaning they hold for us on a personal level. Cracker Barrel, which was founded in 1969, has been a restaurant that has served individuals across several generations. Although I personally have yet to visit, I am definitely intrigued, not only because I like food but because it is a place that has the distinct logo of "Uncle Herschel," an old man leaning on a barrel
However, last week, CEO Julie Masino announced a new logo for the restaurant, which was a more simplified logo featuring just the text "Cracker Barrel" on a yellow, barrel-shaped background. This decision was met with subsequent, widespread criticism from customers as well as people on social media for changing the iconic logo to something that makes it just another restaurant. Even United States President Donald Trump chimed in, posting on his Truth Social Platform that "Cracker Barrel should go back to the old logo, admit a mistake based on customer response (the ultimate Poll) and manage the company better than ever before."
Just hours after the president’s take on the matter, Cracker Barrel made another announcement, only this time that they would revert back to their original logo.
"We thank our guests for sharing your voices and love for Cracker Barrel. We said we would listen, and we have. Our new logo is going away, and our 'Old Timer' will remain,” the company said in a public statement.
It is commendable that Cracker Barrel went back to its original logo because it recognized that its decision was discouraged by its customers. As the saying goes, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”, which pretty much sums up the recent controversy behind Cracker Barrel.
Christians in light of this situation should consider this rather peculiar matter and ask the following question: When even a logo change unsettles us, what does that say about our deeper need for permanence, identity, and roots that don’t shift with culture?
Generally speaking, we are not used to change, much less want to, because we like the comfort. There are times when change is needed if it results in growth. In life, we are always learning and growing. We will be faced with moments where we need to take action for our futures if we are to make progress. But that is not the case here with Cracker Barrel, as ultimately, there was no need to change the logo. It wasn’t doing any harm to anyone beforehand. The only time it was a problem was when it was no longer there, and there was more than enough public clamor for it to be brought back.
When it comes to logos, we must consider them as symbols of identity. Cracker Barrel’s imagery of the rocking chair and barrel is more than just a nice photo; it evokes front porches, community, slower rhythms, and rural America. When that symbol is altered, then people feel like a piece of cultural identity is being reshaped or even erased. It can make some feel a sense of identity crisis if there is constant change with no stability. Let’s be real, we do not like instability because there is no comfort in that, only restlessness. It is bad enough that people are restless as it is, especially for those without God, who is our rest.
As Christians, we understand this very well. We recognize that this world and everything in it will fade away. There is no permanence here. This likewise goes for us, who will one day die because we are finite beings. We also know that in Christ, we have eternal life, which gives us hope exceeding whatever this transient world will give us.
When Churches Trade Truth for Trends
Like the controversy surrounding the Cracker Barrel logo change, the sad tragedy in many churches today is the compromise of biblical truth with entertainment. Churches that have gone that route are more commercialized than biblical. Sad to say that they do not recognize that what God has given is more than enough. Many preachers tried to improvise through preaching other things than the Word of God, such as political ideologies and what is trending in the culture.
Yet we know that “all Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:17). If we remove the preaching of the Bible, then the church can no longer function as a church. Preserving biblical truth is essential because it teaches us who God is, what He has done for us in Christ, how we are to live a godly life, and more. It is a nonnegotiable matter that does not require change, nor should it.
God’s Unchanging Love in an Unstable World
We also recognize that Christ is “the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). He is the anchor of our hope. He is the only one whom we find true comfort and security in because He provides it for us, even though we did not deserve it! One of the most frequent and most comforting promises in all of Scripture is that God says I will never leave you nor forsake you.
We all desire the familiar because we desire something we know will remain even when everything else changes. Believers know that that can only be found in God for “His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom is one that shall not be destroyed,” (Daniel 7:14). There is no need for change there as it is altogether perfect. Our Lord is altogether perfect; thus, there is no need for adjustments at all.
We also know that God’s love is steadfast, meaning that it is unchangeable and permanent. Unlike our own love, which comes and goes, God’s love is eternal, for it is in His very nature. Understanding the love of God is essential for His children to understand because it provides them comfort even when everything else falls apart. As the apostle Paul writes to the church in Rome,
“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord,” - Romans 8:38-39
God’s love for us is inseparable, no matter what. We are His forever because He will never let us go. Although people are upset when a logo changes, there is an inherent need in all of us for something to go beyond what meets the eye. That can only be found in our Lord, who places eternity in the human heart (Ecclesiastes 3:11). Everything else will fade away, but God remains forever, and those who trust in Christ will be with Him forever. Now that is an unchangeable truth worth believing.
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Joe Raedle / Staff
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