Sunday, July 31, 2016

The Power of Labels

You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men. 1 Corinthians 7:23

Have you ever thought about the power of labels? 

What about the power of those we let hang the labels on us? 

We’ve all got labels—and people who label us. 


Sometimes the labels are good.

“You’re so smart.”

“You’re so beautiful.”

“You’re so organized…

“talented…

“spiritual…

“blessed.”

These are the labels we like to hear—whether they’re true or not. They have a seductive quality, inviting us to congratulate ourselves on what we’ve accomplished.

Sometimes the labels are bad.

“You’re so selfish.”

“You’ll never amount to anything.”

“You’re such a liar…

“a betrayer…

“untalented…

“lazy.”

Unlike the positive ones, these labels can devastate us. The echos of these take residence in our souls, providing a haunting refrain as we try to follow God’s path.

We can’t get away from a world that seeks to define us, hanging labels on us for everyone to see. And although we know we shouldn’t, if we’re not careful, we can begin to view ourselves through the filters of others.

An Interesting Parallel
Let’s consider labels from a manufacturing perspective. When goods are manufactured, there are only two sources that have the legal right to label something.

The one who manufactured the goods, and

The one who bought the goods.

What Does That Have to do with Us?
That concept holds just as true for us as believers. Only two people have the authority and the right to label us.

The One who created us, and

The One who paid the ultimate price for our freedom.

These Two also have labels for us.

“You are precious.”

“You are loved.”

 “You are Mine.”

Today I challenge you to join me as I banish the false labels (and the false labelers) and focus on the only two who have the right to define me.

11 comments:

  1. I love this analogy. I will never look at labels on a manufactured product the same way again. We do need to remember to read the correct labels about ourselves.

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    1. Barbara, I feel the same way. Now labels on products remind me of Whose I am! Blessings, E

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  2. Thank you, Edie. It is easy for me to tell others what you just told us but it is hard to believe it applies to me. Thank you for speaking Truth into my heart this morning.
    Shalom rav!

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    1. Jean, I'm that Way too. I can preach it, but it's hard to accept. Blessings! E

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    2. I couldn't agree more. So easy to speak this truth to other people. So hard to apply it to myself. Thanks for the reminder, Edie.

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    3. Ellen, thank you! Blessings, E

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  3. Edie, can't tell you how much this means to me. Thank you for putting "labels" in perspective.

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  4. Thank you for this refreshing look at labels. God and Jesus are the ONLY ones we should look to and listen to, as we traverse this world.

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  5. Well said, dear Edie, and so very timely. Thank God that His labels for us are the only ones that matter. Blessings to you!

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  6. In 7th grade music class, the teacher circulated the room as we all sang some old tune. She stopped at my desk and declared "non-singer." It took me until I was fifty years old to shake that comment and join the choir at church. I've been happily singing ever since. Thanks for reminding us that God's labels are the ones that matter.

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