Let's Avoid Labeling
Categories: Church of Christ Bulletin Articles, uncategorizedThe story is told of three baseball umpires who were discussing their philosophies of officiating at the plate. The first umpire firmly stated, “Some are balls and some are strikes, but I call ‘em like I see ‘em.” The second umpire spoke just as firmly, “Some are balls and some are strikes, but I call ‘em like they are.” The third umpire smiled and said, “Some are balls and some are strikes, but they ain’t nothing ‘till I call ‘em.”
There are members of the church who have taken upon themselves the role of spiritual umpires, labeling brothers and sisters as casually as they would call strikes and balls.
How easily labels come to our lips in the heat of battle, especially when we are caught in a win/lose mode. Labeling suddenly becomes an attractive weapon that is always within reach.
The inspired writer Paul tells us:
“Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, that it may give grace to those who hear” (Ephesians 4:29 NASB).
The Greek word for “unwholesome” [corrupt KJV] in the above verse, has some interesting connotations. The word gives us the idea of something that is decayed or rotten. It is used to refer to spoiled fish, rotten fruit, or worn-out shoes.
There are times when the language that comes forth from our mouth is just as decayed and rotten. Certainly this is true of swearing or filthy jesting, but it can also be true of the way we talk about one another.
For the most part, labels are libels. Statements which disparage, denigrate and devalue our brothers and sisters are just as decayed as those which abuse the Lord’s name or degrade the opposite sex. Paul tells us that such things have no place in a Christian’s thoughts or mouth (2 Corinthians 10:5; Ephesians 4:29).
If we can avoid name-calling and labeling in the heat of conflict, the chances are much better for healing relationships when the conflict has ended.
Labels are uniquely difficult to forget, for when we place a label on someone, we are giving them an evaluation of their whole character. It then becomes increasingly difficult to mend fences with that individual, because our labeling has left them with little doubt as to how low we esteem them.
Brethren, let’s never be guilty of labeling our fellow Christian. Instead, let us highly esteem them as being on a higher spiritual plain than we are (Philippians 2:3-5; cf. 1 Samuel 24:9-19).
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