Imagine a 120 pound high school female crying out to God because he made her fat.
Imagine a 5ft 1in blonde woman feeling insignificant around a crowd of tall 7th and 8th graders.
Imagine a mother of three walking around Wal-Mart seeing faces that look like they're saying, "Wow, you've got your hands full."
Imagine someone who, because she was trying to fit in, gossiped about people at work.
Imagine a mom needing a place for her daughter to go for a few hours, and the babysitter saying, "Sure, ____ is their dad. I'll watch her!"
All of these people are me, at some point in my life.
Labeled.
Mother of three.
Wife to Chad.
Mennonite.
2nd grade teacher.
Short.
Fat.
Not getting good enough grades.
Having a boyfriend to feel wanted.
sad, huh?
Mark 5, in the Bible, has a story about a woman who was labeled.
Unclean.
gross.
outcast.
She had to live by herself for 12 years because she was bleeding non-stop. Can you imagine? Not only "bleeding" for 12 years, but not being able to be around anyone. secluded.
But, Jesus came to her village and she needed to touch him- just in case he could heal her, since nothing else she tried had worked. He instantly knew, when she touched him, that he had healed someone. This was the plan.
She didn't need to be labeled anymore.
But, we don't either.
We're all daughters/sons of God.
HE doesn't label us- why do we?
It's a challenge to get past thinking of myself as not pretty enough. Not having enough money. Not being good enough at my job.
But, that's not who I am. None of those things defines me.
I am who God made me to be.
No one else.
Nothing else.
Go read Mark 5.
It's a good story.
5 comments:
Awesome post Jody! I did a project with 8th graders at my other school about labels -- positive and negative and how that doesn't define you -- that they are so much more than any labels others put on them, or that they put on themselves. This Bible passage was acted out in our church service one Sunday and it was so moving! I have heard the story many times, but it never clicked for me until that day.
Imagine being the best friend of that girl...wishing she was as pretty, as likeable, had her hair, that boys liked her that much, had boobs :), had a family as involved in church, married stable parents, and wishing she could swing up-side-down as gracefully!!! Girls rarely see themselves the way others see them. My label for you is simply "the best."
P.S. You are short though! :) he he
I agree with the mother of 3, wife to Chad, Mennonite and teacher. And the short. :) But not the other labels. Sorry lady. As you walked away from our booth today someone said, "She is just so cute." And we all agreed. And I told them how huge and uncute I feel around you, Heidi, Abby and Leah. You're all so tiny and cute. For reals. Love you!
Wow, what an incredible post! It's so odd to me to read how you view yourself because I wouldn't use those labels. My labels for you would be adorable, sweet, kind, patient and amazing. Thank you for reminding me that the labels we use for ourselves are generally very skewed and God has a much kinder view. I want the eyes of Jesus.
I love you...and everything about you, but mostly I love how REAL you are. You don't try to live in a perfect world, you see the reality and strive to do better/be better and that is what makes you amazing. We are all so judgmental of ourselves..luckily that's why God puts friends/family in our lives, to help us up when we feel "labeled". Miss you! <3
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