Beyond the Labels

The man’s problem was obvious to all. It was his bodily malfunction.

That’s what we see.

We see an obvious problem.

Stick a designated label on it that defines this child, this young woman, this old man..

ADHD.

Anorexia.

Bulimia.

PTSD.

Bipolar.

Now that we have successfully isolated the problem from the whole person, now that the diagnosis has been made, we can proceed with a prescribed cure. To fix it.  To fix the problem with the obvious solution. Preferably with a pill.

Case closed.

And thus we miss the forest for the trees. We fail to see that tucked inside this malfunctioning body is this amazing, marvelous, complicated, deep, vast dizzying terrain of the human soul made in the image of this amazing, marvelous, complicated, deep, vast dizzying Eternal God.

We look at the person and reduce him or her to the problem that needs fixing. Sometimes to make his life better, oftentimes, to make our life easier. Free of the nuisance and disturbance that such burden creates.

But, Jesus looks at the man and sees past his broken body. Past his woeful inability to manage his life with his own resources.

Jesus looks at us and sees past our shattered life, past our messed up family, past our screwed up education, past the veneer – impotent or impressive, past all the labels. And He shoots for the heart.

He knows that it's the heart that must be released first.

Son… Daughter.. I forgive your sins.