BREAKING FREE FROM THE WRONG LABELS
THURSDAY 27 JULY 2023
Although I shared this topic six years ago, I'm led to share it again, in order to refresh your memory with the enduring benefits as you reflect on the lesson it conveys.
Other people's label is how they are conditioned to see things about you or how you could be influenced by their opinion to deal or function with anything connected to your life an existence. It can have a great influence on how we think or respond to life's situations. So today's topic, 'breaking free from the wrong labels' is designed to spur you towards thinking and excelling beyond other people's opinion and wrong tagging.
Have you ever come across people who always think its not possible to do this or that or to attain this height or that level? And readily, they're there to show you just how impossible it really is. There are indeed people like that. They propagate the message of "impossibility" because sadly, they are used to accepting the wrong label and settling with it.
Reference: 1 Samuel 16:10-11 New International Version (NIV) 'Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, “The Lord has not chosen these.” So he asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have? There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered. “He is tending the sheep.” Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.”'
In the eyes of his own family, David would never be more than a shepherd. But in God's sight, he was the next king. It's quite interesting how people can categorise and label you wrongly the very moment they see you. According to our Scripture reference, David was absent from the environment where things were happening in a big way because he tended sheep. He was tagged the bush man, who belonged to the desert, and for that reason, they didn't bother to bring him to Samuel in the first place because he didn't count or matter.
Today, someone may have labelled you "an average student", "a common school teacher", "a mediocre artist" or "an ordinary trader." And before you know it, you mistakenly end up believing their assessment and opinion, thereby embracing the wrong label that will limit your chances of soaring to greater heights in your career or field of destiny, even for the rest of your life.
The longer we tolerate anything that is unfortunate or unfavourable, the stronger it gains absolute control over our minds until it starts dictating the course of our lives. And we can never be able to change our system of beliefs until we stop tolerating the wrong labels and start arriving at the place where we acknowledge it is the reason we are stuck in the wrong places.
Breaking free from a limited mindset is challenging but its worth it in the long run. If it means abandoning all confining safety zones, close your eyes and do so. This is because once you break the barrier, you'll never remain the same. From such standpoint, the Spirit of God will begin to guide you into places beyond your imagination because you've dared to step out of the boat of every wrong label, into the unknown.
Evidently, some people considered Timothy too young to be a pastoral leader. That's the main reason Paul wrote and told him, "Do not let anyone look down on you because you are young" (1 Timothy 4:12 NIV 2011 Edition). There are many list of other people's perceived limitations which can be harsh and unforgiving. It can be labels in form of physical or mental challenge, ethnicity differences, past mistakes, being uneducated or coming from a very humble background. But you must be determined to ignore and get rid of such life-limiting thoughts and labels, and start thinking God's thoughts, taking audacious steps to actualise big dreams and staying on the high road to experience quantum leaps in fulfilling your purpose.
Attaining greatness in life is not about staying in the safe places. Hear me, greatness is deposited in all of us in various ways, but going further in life by taking giant strides forward, requires strong faith because many a time, to walk in higher places is dependent on stepping into the unknown. Have you ever considered the incredible potential still dormant and resident in you that will unfold, when you step outside your comfort zone and transcend your limitations? Just like Peter, if you must walk on water, you've got to get out of the boat (see Matthew 14:29 ESV).
Stepping on the risky waters of faith, implies that Jesus is waiting to meet you on the other side and take you to greater heights that will change your life forever, and in turn deepen your faith and trust in God. Remember this golden news today: the ceiling you are up against today can become the floor you stand on tomorrow, if you are determined to break free from the wrong labels.
Scripture Reading - Matthew 17:20; Mark 9:23; Philippians 4:13; 2 Timothy 1:7.
Exuberant Declaration: I refuse to conform to the wrong labels or thought-pattern of this world, rather I'm constantly transformed by the renewing of my mind through God's Word. By thinking God's thoughts and acting on His Word customarily, I've broken free from confining limitations and I function far above the confines of religious thinking, the past history of enclosures and any wrong labels. I'm the head and not the tail because the greater One lives in me. Glory to God!
