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Would
you describe yourself as a follower of Jesus?
If so then what do you think of being labelled
in this way? What does that label mean to
others? Do you see lives or labels when you
look around you? ALOVE ponders.
You’re speaking to somebody who claims
they are going to change the way people live.
They argue that they are looking to radically
alter the way people perceive their role in
society; to make the world a better place
to live in.
Do you believe them? Suspend that judgement
until you are hit with their label:
Politician.
Regardless of whether or not their claims
might be true, if you are one of the people
who doesn’t trust politicians then it
is the ‘label’ that has made up
your mind – not the person.
That’s the trouble with labels –
they don’t do anything helpful; they’re
just a quick way for humans to cast judgement
on someone or something without trying to
understand them or listening what they have
to say.
Emo, Townie, Chav, Goth, Gypsy, Christian,
Muslim, Asylum Seeker, Homeless, Salvationist,
Catholic, Irish, French, Jock, Geek. Tory:
all labels that stir in us emotions and judgements
with little to do with people’s lives
and everything to do with preconception and
prejudice.
Surely, we must have figured out by now that
just labelling things is deeply hollow? There
might be a grain of truth in each cliché
but, as Christians, we should know more than
anybody how labels can often be meaningless
barriers that obstruct the truth and put forward
exaggerated, unhelpful or plain false depictions
of who people really are and what they believe.
But when we hear words like integrity and
trustworthiness they come out of something
more than a job. These words are inextricably
linked to the person – they are not
properties of a label. Take our politician
friend – if you get to know him and
get to see his qualities of integrity and
grow to trust him you have seen past the label
and into his life.
So, our challenge is to be people living out
the life of Jesus. To eschew labels and the
hurt and damage they bring; to get to know
people before judging them; to eat with the
tax collectors of our time.
It’s time for young and old Christians
to realise that real life goes much deeper
than even the labels we attach to ourselves.
We must delve deeper until we begin to scratch
the surface of who we are; the core of our
identity and those around us. It’s time
for us to be unique, God-aware people (Psalm
42:7). People taken up in Jesus love for us
(John 3:16): Christians
The profoundly moving aspect of life is that
all who have lived, those living and those
who have yet to live, all experience life
under God’s sovereignty, generosity
and judgement. Everything is God’s;
every piece of life is his (Ecclesiastes 9:2).
His desire is for you to live in the reality
of his love and experience the narrow way
(Matthew 7:13-14); to live as though the new
order of things had already arrived (Romans
12:1-2), and to help to bring in the King’s
values. The more we live freely the more we
prepare ourselves to live like this for eternity.
This isn’t about being clothing ourselves
in the label of Christianity, but rather about
fostering a life of love, devotion and holiness.
It’s about being free and being caught
up in the awe of creation and life: Everything
is God’s.
We all, Christian or not, experience the wonder
of life’s special moments and catch
ourselves saying, “There
is so much more to life”, or,
“This is not all that there is”
or “This
is so special that there must be a meaning
for it make sense”; In those
moments we can recognise the connection between
all human beings: the reality of our full
humanity, the awe of our connection with God.
God’s desires us to live profound lives.
He would have us meet and be with others as
they express their wonder. And in that, reveal
him who holds all things together (Acts 17:28).
We must be a church to the next group of individuals
that God loves and desires a connection with.
We must show that his love is for all as is
his judgement. God is generous in giving life
to all his creation; Jesus is the Word of
life (1John 1:1) his desire is to have people
moved to a depth of intimacy that reflects
him (Ephesians 3:16-19).
This is not a question of geography, where
you live, what you do or even who your friends
are. The connection is with God and others.
So drop the labels you give others before
you even give them a chance. After all, would
you prefer a label, or a profound life? |
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Read
...
Velvet Elvis
by Rob Bell. ISBN: 0310267013
- What it is to be human, the ‘mannishness’
of our existence.
The God Who is There
by Francsis Schaeffer. ISBN: 0853649383
- For a description of the Kalam argument.
Scaling the Secular
City by J. P. Moreland. ISBN: 0801062225
- An old classic on the cross
Glory in the Cross,
A Study in Atonement by Leon Morris
What’s so
amazing about Grace by Philip Yancey.
ISBN: 0310245656 |
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