Morning Devotional
November  22, 2005
"Labels"       
    by Don Emmitte

Choose a good reputation over great riches, for being held in high esteem is better than having silver or gold. (Proverbs 22:1 NLT).

 

Shakespeare said, "What's in a name? That which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet." True, we could call a rose by any other name and that wouldn't change its characteristics. We would just get to know it by whatever we named it, and it would still live up to its name.

 

Yesterday I talked a little about names (cf.: www.GraceRestoration.org, “Big”). The principle I would like to concentrate on today is that names are significant in that they describe what an object is and what its characteristics are. They also identify places, people, positions, and processes, as well as innumerable other things. We also assign names to people and people groups. The early followers of Jesus Christ were known as Christ-ones and were named Christians. Thus, a true Christian is a follower of Jesus Christ.

 

But when it comes to name-calling, or labeling, that's a totally different matter. As another has said, "If you label me, you negate me." This is especially true if the label is a negative one. For example, if you label a politician as either a liberal or a conservative, you will automatically negate him/her to those who hold the opposite position. This is not necessarily bad except when it is used falsely and maliciously as a political ploy seeking to destroy the reputation of a particular politician, which, unfortunately, is done far too often in politics. Or if you take a stand against abortion, homosexuality, or homosexual marriage, many as being a narrow-minded behind the times politically incorrect bigot will immediately label you.

 

Not long ago I received an email from someone who had found my website and read a few of the devotionals. They had several comments they wished to make to me. While I always appreciate any correspondence from those seeking to deepen their relationship to Christ, this one was a little different. In it I was told that I was little more than a “psycho-babbler.” I do use some psychological principles in my writings, however I hope that doesn’t mean that the writings are no more than “babbling.” My sincere hope and goal is that as theology applies to the understanding of God and psychology applies to the understanding of the human mind and personality, a blend will be achieved to help other practically live the principles of Scripture. I believe this is the pattern Jesus set for us in his earthly ministry.


But, back to the point, while we don't want to close our eyes to evildoers, the important thing is that we don't maliciously label others and use such labeling as a form of destructive gossip. For if you label me with a false, negative label, and I do the same to you, we negate each other and can seriously hurt each other and our good name. Trying to take back such labeling and gossip is like trying to unring a bell. Concentrate on removing labeling from your life.