Knockoff: A copy of something that sells for less than the original product. Usually this is an imitation of something popular or a well-known name in the fashion industry. More often than not, it is inferior – a cheap copy of the original.

Have you ever purchased a knock-off? Maybe jewelry, clothes or the most popular, a purse? If you have, you probably quickly found that the old saying, “You get what you pay for,” is true. Knock-offs are generally cheap imitations of a higher quality product.  Most of us would say that we want the real thing! We may not want to pay the high price for it, but we want the quality, authenticity, and uniqueness that the original piece offers. Yet, sometimes we live our lives as a knock-off. Let me explain.

            God created you in a unique fashion.

He did not have an assembly line in heaven, producing 100’s of copies of you. He thought about you. He took time to design your hair, curves, and personality. He took His hands and crafted you. He picked the exact time in history that you would be born. Then, He placed a tag on you that said “Priceless. Paid in full”.

       “Jesus Christ is the real thing-the authentic original. His enemy, satan, is the counterfeit and often presents opportunities for us to grab on to a knockoff that may be appealing but will never be anything but an imitation. Are you settling for a knockoff faith – one that gives the appearance of having it all together, but accepts less than what God intended?” -Missy Horsfall

Sometimes you may see another woman and think “I wish I looked like her”, or, “I wish my voice sounded like hers”, or, “I wish I was a dynamic executive like her.” When your admiration turns to envy, you are no longer valuing yourself through God’s eyes. You are comparing yourself to an original. You will always be a knock-off to her! Choose to be your own original! “Don’t wish to be like someone else! God knew you before you were born and was excited about unleashing you on the Earth!” -Priscilla Shirer

 Digging Deeper

Search “famous knock-offs” on the internet. Get a good laugh when you see items like Crust toothpaste, Arm & Hatchet baking soda, or Creme Betweens instead of the amazing Oreo! Then, on a serious note, ask God “Am I a knock-off?”
Are you living as the original He made you to be?

~Samantha Cosgrove
Lifegate Women, Associate Director