LABELS

A site I follow: POTSC (People of the Second Chance) has been throwing out questions about Labels lately.  Both those you wear & those you put on others.

I read all POTSC sends out.

The "what labels are you wearing" got my attention.  I thought through that some & definitely know a couple labels that I have to keep cutting off me.  It's kind of like the way you cut labels off the back of a shirt...I have to do the same in my life from time to time.  Labels are funny things.  I'm not sure if I put them back on me or if I feel the "label application of others" & then have to cut them off.  Either way, I deal with a couple labels...

But, what got me even more was, "the labels I put on others".  Truth is, I tend to judge some people pretty quickly.  Here's the irony, it's not the full blown sinners I judge.  It's the "Christians".

It seems I have a lot of tolerance for sinners...not so much on the "Holier than Thou's".

Even the label "Christians" has a bad taste in my mouth.  The 1st time it was used in the Bible was not a compliment...and that's about where I've gotten with it too.  I'm not saying I'm right, it's just that anymore "Christian" feels religious to me...and religion kills.

But, for me, it goes further than that.  There are certain "Christians" that I really have no tolerance for.  I have slapped some pretty tough labels on them...like hypocrite...fake...phony...shallow, liar, religious & a few I can't really type out.  But, who am I to label anyone??? I mean, seriously, who are any of us to judge each other?  I'm a sinner saved by the same grace...like everybody else.  The bad thing is, I feel like I've labeled them correctly...which sounds even worse in typing & admitting it.  I guess that's really the struggle with labels - you feel right in the ones you use.  If you felt wrong about the label, you wouldn't be putting it on them - huh...?  Hmmmmmmm.

So, in dealing with this today, I realize I need to pray about some things living in my heart.  Some bad tastes...some "you really suck" type of things I've placed on others.  NOTE: they don't know I've placed these labels on their back...I know.  And ONLY I know.  Well, God knows too.

That's the rub for me.  If it's living in my heart, I need to deal with it.  The issue is not whether I've labeled them right or not.  The issue is that I've labeled them at all.  It seems like a form of judgment...and that is wrong.  If you've ever been judged (or pre-judged which is the word prejudiced against) then you know how that feels.

What I'm realizing is, that being right or wrong on the labels is irrelevant.  It's none of my concern.  It's God's deal & I have to allow Him to deal with it...

So.

God help me clarify my heart in regard to some things that just live in there about others.  Please.

Just being honest...for there's freedom in truth.

peace

b