My sister called to tell me she was mailing a few things for the kids and tossing in a couple pairs of pants for me. The box arrived a few days later containing birthday gift cards for my son, some ocean creatures that grow in water and two pairs of pants with the tags still on them.
One tag, $185. The other, $165.
Y’all, I don’t wear $185 pants. I will inevitably spill something on them, get them caught on something sharp, wash them with the wrong colors or find some other way to destroy them. I’m haphazard and messy. I’m in the boogers and peanut butter stage of life with littles. My pants need to come from Target or Old Navy clearance so that, when I ruin them in some fashion, I won’t be devastated.
She insisted I take them because she never wore them and had bought them years ago at a boutique. So, after carefully removing the tags and washing them, I finally decided to test drive the expensive jeans. I would wear them only for a few hours in between meals, to avoid any unwanted spillage.
I slipped them on and it was like sliding into butter. I was coming home to a place prepared just for me.
They were the softest thing to cover my legs apart from leggings and my favorite sweats! They fit like a glove and after a few hours of wear I realized I wasn’t yanking on them to stay in place or wishing I could get home and change into my pajama pants. I had found the jeans that had been missing from my life for 39 years!
As I melted into a daydream while caressing the soft fabric, it occured to me I missed out on these pants all these years because I’m cheap. I’m a “bargain shopper”. That’s the label I put on myself that kept me looking for lesser labels. I had boxed myself so far into the clearance aisle, I couldn’t even see the fancy boutique shop holding the jeans that just changed my life.
You’d think this realization would suddenly have me on a shopping spree, but it didn’t. I’ll still pull up in my minivan with the next bucks back coupon I get for Old Navy and wait a few more years in hopes that my sister will hand me down another pair of fancy pants.
However, knowing my “bargain shopper” label caused me to miss out on something incredible, made me wonder what other incredible things I’ve missed out on because of labels.
I have a label called “Worrier”. It pairs well with “Planner” when circumstances aren’t falling into place the way I’d like them to. I spin ideas and what-ifs continuously in my mind, playing out scenarios and imaginary conversations until I’ve spun myself into a tizzy or even become physically ill.
Other labels I’ve placed on myself over the years include; Not organized,
Not a morning person, Hot Mess, Overeater, Late, Weak, Shy, Fearful, Not Enough, Failure.
The labels I’ve worn willingly throughout my life have kept me from experiencing God’s best for me. While no label in this world can keep you from His perfect Love and gift of Grace through salvation, these earthly labels can keep us from enjoying the abundant blessings He has in store for us along life’s journey.
John 10:10 tells us Christ came so we might have life and have it to the full (have it and enjoy it abundantly).
I’ve spent years in this world maintaining a “get by” stance because of my labels.
If I can just get through the diaper stage, just get through this rough patch in our marriage, just get through school, just get through the next year of this job I hate; until all of life became just getting through.
Friends, just getting through is not what God intends for us. Not just in eternity, but here and now. He’s not a someday God, He’s a here and now companion and friend who wants to take the boxed-in labels that have kept you trapped. He wants to take the labels that have kept you settling for the clearance aisle and place you in the boutique dressing room with your very own pair of fancy pants!
He wants to take your worry and give you peace.
Take your hurt and give you hope.
Take your mess and give you grace.
Take your chaos and give you clarity.
Take your weakness and make you strong.
Take your fear and give you victory.
Take your failure and give you redemption.
Take your pain and give you purpose.
Take your shame and give you dignity.
Take your not enough and be more than enough for you.
The secret is, it’s not found in a boutique or in a $185 pair of jeans. It’s found only in Him.
He’s the only one who can take those labels and make you whole because Christ already took all your labels upon Him and nailed them to the cross.
Don’t pick them up again, friend.
Leave them. And leave them again and again at His feet. He never tires of you. He never grows weary. He is faithful and constant and good even when everything in this world wants to tell you otherwise.
He calls you by name and replaces every label you ever wore with one word; “MINE”.
You are His. You are treasured. You are of great value; even more value than fancy pants!
#atthecross #pathtoProvidence #fancypants