Labels

My mother is one of those people whom has to label everyone and once so labelled they are stuck with whatever it was in her mind and they are never allowed to change or act differently without her then  trying to figure out what they are scheming to do to her, because - well, change is not allowed in her so ordered world.  Yeah, and people wonder why I do not do well with her around me!  "Say mom, I've got an idea, how about you change!!!!!??????"

Of course, in Christianity, we have labels which have stuck and others which never seem to have come down to us through time.  Even the Apostles had labels for one another, though a few of their references have been translated out of existed because in English we lack the richness of words.  For example we know that Peter was called the 'Rock', a little rock in Greek, meaning he was just about as dumb as a rock by the other disciples.  Jesus instantly jumped on them and told them that Peter would be 'The Rock', a big rock, upon which the church would be founded.  I am sure they were uncomfortable with that concept!

Of course, we know that Judas, got labelled the Betrayer and the other Judas went by Thaddeus, even Jesus' brother Judas was renamed to James in order to keep him separate from the Betrayer.  Just think on how many people you have met through the years named Judas.....

How about poor Miriam, aka Mary of Magdalene, thanks to the Roman Catholic church.  She is a prostitute.  Really?  We know that how?  She is Jesus' wife, really?  yeah, she got tagged with miserable titles.  She certainly was rich and I will allow that even in the ancient world there were rich women, we know of one whom financed Jesus' ministry for almost the whole three years! 

And then there is Thomas.  Everyone instantly can think of him as 'Doubting Thomas', a label given him by the Roman Catholic church, not by the Bible.  In the Bible he was referred to as the "Twin".  Is the label of 'Doubting' actually deserved?

John 20:19-31

Doubting Thomas, in light of scripture:

• Luke 24:10, "no one believed" the tale that Jesus was not in the grave
• Mark 16:11, "no one believed"

Jesus' resurrection from the grave was literally the last thing anyone expected!  They all doubted these women's tale.  As you might remember, Thomas was the one whom was ready to go with Jesus to die with Him!  Peter was willing to start the fight at the arrest.  As things went the way, they did, the Apostles and Disciples went into hiding!

We have to allow people to not be classified or labelled, they need released from these, often times unearned titles!

The Apostles and Disciples were in process.  They had to go through grief.  This man, whom they had followed for three years was sentenced as a criminal against the religious order and thus executed. In order to believe, they had to understand what had just happened.  Then they could be lead in truth.

When Jesus reappeared to his followers, He allowed for their questions and did not start off with a sermon.  Instead, in their grief, He said, "Peace be with you."

Questions are what allow for us to grow and to understand.

For us today, we need to cling tightly to His words and in order to do that, you need to be READING the Bible!  It is full of question askers, just like you and me!

We need to wait for the rest of the story.  We need to see the lives of others beyond the labels applied to them.  Jesus sought out Thomas and said, "Thomas touch ..."  Of course, we are not told if he did or didn't go for it!  I think the realization of the offer was about as great a proof as he would need!

Of course, Jesus offered that "greater are those whom do ot see ....".  Faith is what is required and by not believing the woman, Thomas certainly was a doubter, just as they all were.  But, he was no less the Apostle for it, loosing his life in what is today India according to tradition.

And our modern world is full of labels, often used as put downs.  Geek, nerd, flake all instantly come to mind.  They were my labels when I was in high school and then in the world of writing operating systems.  No one could envision what I saw and so I was labelled to set me apart.  'Smart' might have been nicer than 'flake' though.  I really did not mind being geek and nerd when those words came into being.....

So this week, think on how you label or categorized people and work through the idea that maybe they are in process - just like you and those labels do not allow for them to grow.  Nor do they show the respect we should hold for all people.