{Week 5} The Labels We Wear

{Week 5} The Labels We Wear 

Labels…….words that we use to describe ourselves…..words that we use to unite or divide ourselves.

I’m a:
Wife, mother, daughter, friend, married, divorced, single, teacher, doctor, waitress, home school mom, public school mom, private school mom, stay at home mom, working mom, Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Non-Denominational, Republican, Democrat and the lists go on and on.
Labels…..
The only way the world is going to see a clear picture of Christ is to see UNITY because we are HIS BODY and where there is discord, then the body is: disconnected and separated and maimed and crippled and the world doesn’t really see what they should see of Christ. So it behooves us to be aware that God calls us to unity. The end of all disparity, the end of all bitterness, the end of all prejudice, the end of all those things that separate us, the end of all pride, primarily, to be replaced with humility.”
- John MacArthur
My sweet sisters in Christ, God calls us to UNITY! Let us throw off what divides us and focus on what UNITES us!
Do you realize THIS VERY MESSAGE OF UNITY……uniting the Jews and Gentiles together is the reason why Paul is in jail?
“It was his message that Jew and Gentile were one that messed up the minds of the people that were in Jerusalem that ultimately made them take him and put him in jail. He was actually a prisoner because of this message.
- John MacArthur
This message of unity is important.
It’s important to Paul……he went to prison for it.
It’s important to Jesus…..he went to the cross for it.
If this message of unity is so important to them….it should be important to us too.
Let’s focus on what unites us rather than what divides us. We are stronger as ONE! When the body of Christ decides its more important to unite than to divide……our world changes. We’ve seen this happen before in the early church, they found a way to unite and work together….because they did our lives are changed because of it. Want to know a secret? Working together as the body of Christ, the way we were designed to work, still changes lives……still changes our world. Working as ONE is powerful!
Can I be real honest with you? I don’t like the labels that we wear as Christian women. They aren’t attractive. They cause division. They cause pride. They cause hurt.
Sometimes I feel like we are more focused on our labels than we are in reaching a world that doesn’t know our Lord. If we can’t love each other in spite of our differences……how can we show the world God’s love?
I want to set a better example for the next generation…..I only want to wear one label…..this one.

Will you join me? Together, let’s set a better example for those who are watching us. (our children, the next generation of young Christian women, the unbelieving world) Let’s show them how to love others well. Let’s show them how to love those who are different from us. Let’s focus on what unifies us……..Jesus. Let’s follow His example.
This week read: Ephesians 3:1-13
Digging a little deeper: For those of you who would like to learn more about these verses this week, I’ve provided a few resources below for you to use to help you…….dig a little deeper!
1. John MacArthur
2. John Piper
Until next time…

 

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