When I was a kid I remember wanting one of those label makers. You know the ones, they had a self adhesive colored strip and you turned the dial to the letter or number you wanted and squeezed the trigger to make an impression on the strip. I thought they were so cool! They used them at school to make labels for different things. My friend’s mom, who was a teacher, had one and we would make labels for our stuff. That only made me want one even more and I don’t remember how but I finally got one of my own. I think I labeled everything in my room plus some other stuff.

As a society we tend to label everything, especially people. As individuals we tend to label people the moment we meet them. We see rich and poor, fat and skinny, black and white, normal and strange. (The funny thing is, the normal ones are those like us and the strange ones are those that are different.)

We have become a nation of hyphenated people because of labels, i.e. African-American, Asian-American, Disabled-American or any other group that wants to label themselves. The odd part of this is that originally the term “hyphenated people” was as disparaging remark but now, because of political correctness, we embrace the it.

I have come to despise labels because they separate us from one another and divide us into groups. Whatever happened to the great melting pot of America? It used to be that when immigrants came to America they came to become Americans but these days assimilation is like trying to make oil and water mix. We are completely divided as a nation and I believe it is because of political correctness. Sure, it’s great to maintain our ethnic heritage and not allow our individual uniqueness to be lost but the polarization of differences is killing our nation.

There is something about actual labels, like badges, that really gets under my skin too. Now I know that our law enforcement officers have to have badges to identify themselves and it is necessary but can you honestly tell me that you feel the same comfort level around a cop in uniform and a cop in street clothes? I’ve had friends in law enforcement and it’s just not the same when they are behind a badge. There is something about physical labels that inserts a barrier between people.

The same thing exists in other settings too but in a more subtle manner. Whether its the workplace or church, labels establish a hierarchy of who is on top and who isn’t. It doesn’t matter if that is the intention or not it is what happens in people’s emotions the moment they see any kind of badge that identifies someone as a “somebody” in that establishment. Maybe the person behind the badge is immature and puffed up because they have one, most folks pick up on the attitude. Maybe it’s because the person without a badge is lacking self esteem and feels inferior without one, it doesn’t matter which it is because it is the label that is creating the tension.

Anyone with any observational skills whatsoever can quickly identify who has authority in a place and who doesn’t, so why do we need badges to tell us that. Just look for the person that is actively doing something and not passively watching others. If they don’t know the answer they will know someone who does.

Here are Paul’s thoughts on labels: 1 Cor. 4:6-7

6. Dear brothers and sisters, I have used Apollos and myself to illustrate what I’ve been saying. If you pay attention to what I have quoted from the Scriptures, you won’t be proud of one of your leaders at the expense of another. 7. For what gives you the right to make such a judgment? What do you have that God hasn’t given you? And if everything you have is from God, why boast as though it were not a gift?

Now you’d have to read the three chapters before to know that Paul didn’t like them labeling themselves as followers of one particular leader but the principal is the same, labels establish division and division has no place in the church! I especially like verse seven where he is basically saying “If everything you have is from God, why do you act like you did something by yourself!” But that’s how badges make some people feel, like they’ve accomplished something, like they are above someone else. They can also intimidate those that don’t have them. I know these feelings may not be right but they exist and will continue to exist as long as there are labels.

My point is this, sometimes labels are necessary but when they are not, why use them? We have enough that separates us without adding to that unnecessarily, so must we assign labels to people for the appearance of order when the structure exists without the actual label? Does the badge bring order or does it actually create a separation between leadership and those we wish to help?

These are just some thoughts and questions that I hope people in leadership take into consideration, regardless of the type of organization, but I think especially in our churches where we are attempting to connect with folks on a personal level when they walk through our doors.

This is just a good start on what I think about labeling people in general, whether its in a positive or negative way but I’ll stop here for now.

Blessings,
Jeff