Wear The Label
WEAR THE LABEL
Read Matthew 7:15-20.
The youth pastor had just gotten married, and Josh was in charge of planning a party for him and his wife. Josh decided on a food shower. “Everybody bring a couple cans of food,” he told the youth group, “but exchange the label on each can with a different label.”
The group thought it would be a good joke to pull on their youth pastor and his wife. Josh laughed and said, “I’d like to be a little bird looking in when they try to fix a meal with the food from our cans!”
On the night of the party each one presented Pastor Loren and his wife with one or more cans of food. Some had labels, others had none. Amid much laughter, Pastor Loren thanked the kids for their kindness. “You’ve reminded me of something,” he said after the group had settled down. “Each of us wears a label too. If we’re born again, our label is Christian. But some Christians are afraid or ashamed to wear that label. People may believe one thing, but their actions show something else. They’re not ready to stand up for what they really believe.”
Josh thought about Pastor Loren’s message. It seemed to describe him. He knew he was a Christian, but he wasn’t sure that his actions always labeled him as one. In fact, he was afraid that sometimes he wore one label and sometimes another. No wonder the kids at school didn’t know where he stood.
When Pastor Loren closed the evening’s activities with prayer, Josh bowed his head and asked God to help him let everyone know exactly what he believed.
HOW ABOUT YOU?
Can your friends tell by your label—your words and actions—that you belong to Christ? Or are you a question mark to those who see you? Stand up for what you believe!
TO MEMORIZE:
Never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord.
2 Timothy 1:8
LET CHRIST BE SEEN IN YOU.
From the book
