“Once you had no identity as a people; now you are God’s people. Once you received no mercy; now you have received God’s mercy.”

1 Peter 2:10

I grew up with the last name of Barney. This was way before the purple dinosaur Barney, but I still got labeled as Barney Miller, Barney Rubble, or Barney Fife. (I know that is aging me a bit). Those “labels” of course were harmless fun with no malicious intent, but they still ring true to how often we equate people to something other than who they are.

We might label a person based on their weight, their age, their disability, their mannerism, their status, their ethnicity, their political views, their religion, their financial status. These are among a few of the most popular.

But our current labeling culture has become way more than just a harmless equation to fictional characters. Our labeling has reached a spectrum that is downright hateful, devaluing, and re-naming our identity.

I don’t have to explain the problems of division and hostility this is causing in our society. And as that is a tragedy in itself, probably the bigger tragedy is the voice that labels place on our self- worth as individuals.

When we hear over and over who we are supposed to be, who everyone else thinks we should be, who we are not, or maybe even that since we are on the wrong side of their opinion we don’t matter, it can begin to take a toll on who we really think we are.

But as we may receive no mercy from the world, we have received mercy from God! He is the only One who’s opinion of us matters. And the only important question we need to ask is Who does God say that I am?

• Gods says that you are…”amazing and wonderfully made”. You can praise Him for that for He has done beautiful work when He created you. (Psalm 139:14).

• God says that you are delightful….”He is with you and living among you. He is your mighty savior, taking great delight in you, calming your fears, and singing joyful songs over you” (Zephaniah 3:17).

• God says that you are His friend forever……”Instead, I have called you friends”…(John 15:15)….you did not choose me, but I chose you….(John 15:16)….and nothing will ever separate you from the love He has for you (Romans 8:37-39).

• God says that you are valuable enough to be exchanged for His Son… “He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins” (Ephesians 1:7).

• God says that you are His child….you are “adopted into His family” (Ephesians 1:5)….and are “children of God through faith” (Galatians 3:26)

• God says that you are His ambassador…“But you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God’s instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference he made for you – from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted” (I Peter 2:9-10).

When we focus on who God says we are, we can actually live in the reality of who we are in Him. Not that it’s easy, but when we are keeping our eyes on Jesus, what the rest of the world says about us does not matter. “So, all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord – who is Spirit – makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image” (2 Corinthians 3:18).

God’s love, purpose, and label for you are so vastly different from what the world wants you to think. He loves you in spite of your flaws, and sees you as confident, strong, forgiven, and holy. What label will you respond to today?

Saturday Soul Search