Friday, July 5, 2013

No Labels



Canned Food neatly Labeled
courtesy free Clip Art
 
My cousin worked in a grocery market and as canned food without labels would accumulate, they were saved in a large basket.

On occasion the workers would put a dollar into the kitty and they would draw names to see who won the basket full of goodies.

The store received some money and one person won a strange prize.  Usually you could tell that the large cans were fruit, and smaller sizes were probably corn or beans.

One day our cousin was the lucky winner, and he decided to give the basket to Robert and me.

It was fun seeing what was in each can and if it would go with our dinner.

A young couple in our church was getting married, and I told Robert that I was going to give them a trick gift (along with their real one.) 

At the wedding, we set a large box full of the cans without labels wrapped nicely with pretty paper, over by the church exit.  When the newly weds were ready to leave, we presented them with the box and instructed them to open it when they arrived home.

Later we heard their story as to how surprised they were, but also pleased, because the bride said she was starving and they opened what they guessed was tuna and enjoyed a nice sandwich.

In life we often place labels on people and even on ourselves, some good and others not so good.  There are many labels that are offensive and I will not go into those.

God identifies us as His Children, and because we are HIS, it calls to reason that inside we are just like him. 

He labels us: Washed, Clean, Capable, Bold, Brave, and even Righteous, because these are His attributes and we can claim them as ours because of Jesus.  

God prefers that we do not change the label he has placed on us, with our mouth or our thoughts, because that would show that we doubt His Word. 

Perhaps it is best to just simply believe Him and change our thinking.

God also clearly labels his Spiritual gifts to you, and you will always know you can trust both him and His gift, when you are ready to use it.

In your basket of heavenly spiritual gifts you may discover some without a label. 
 
Those you may want to wait for awhile and open later.  It may surprise you to find you are more precious than gold - - and here all this time you were thinking you were not worthy. 
 
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Do visit Laura and Ann's lovely blog hops  (see below) and view many awesome posts you will discover there.

This post is linked with Laura’s Faith Filled Friday

Also linked with Ann Kroeker’s  Food on Fridays  

 

6 comments:

Rick Dawson said...

Hazel, we must be connected via the Psychic Friends Hotline today :) Great post! Love the story, and I agree - let's ditch the labels and allow ourselves to be surprised.

Anonymous said...

"thanks, I remember my mom talking about taking the labels off for wedding showers and sometimes baby showers. She said she and dad had a great time making a meal around the unlabeled can. Thanks for the memory." Elizabeth S

Floyd said...

Great analogy. We tend to label others as if we know the inside as God does. It really is like unwrapping a precious gift when we get to know the contents of others. Label me "Saved by grace..." Nice job, Hazel.

Janis Van Keuren said...

Hazel, you have so many interesting stories to tell. I enjoyed this one and the spiritual analogy. It's better not to label others and to remember how God has labeled us because of Christ.
Blessings,
Janis

TC Avey said...

Wonderful post!
I'm so thankful for God's labels! They are much better than what the world could ever place on me.

Other labels I love wearing are: wife, mommy, daughter, sister and friend.

Vilisi said...

I really enjoyed this story, Hazel. Loved the simple but powerful way you expressed a great truth -that we belong to God and are all made in his image AND He has given us such wonderful labels. :)