When Jesus came to his home town of Nazareth, people were skeptical and used derogatory and scarcity language to attempt to define him (Mark 6:3).
“Isn’t this Mary’s son?”
With this statement, they were subtly calling him a “momma’s baby – papa’s maybe” child. They assumed Mary had been creepin’ on Joseph and they really didn’t know who the father was. Subtly they were calling Jesus a “bastard child,” an illegitimate son.
“He’s just a carpenter.”
They were using scarcity language to define, undervalue and minimize the Son of God.
Like people attempted to define who Jesus was with derogatory and scarcity language, they will attempt to define you and undervalue you with that same kind of language:
You are “just” a _______________________________ (fill in the blank)
He is greater than your past.
He greater than what has happened to you.
He is greater than labels and incomplete definitions.
He is greater than the foreclosure, greater than the addiction, greater than the abortion, greater than the divorce, greater than the abusive home, greater than your absent parents, greater than the layoff, greater than a rejection letter, greater than your failure, greater than the ridicule for being smart or not being so smart. God is greater than what has happened to you.
God is greater than your skin color, greater than your hair texture, greater than your facial features and your body composition. He is greater than your education or lack of education. Greater than your family and greater than the fact you didn’t have a family. He is greater than the labels that others put on you.
Let this next sentence wash over your heart. You are more than “just.” If you are a believer in and follower of Jesus, then you are:
forgiven
chosen
adopted
treasured
loved
special
included
on His mind all the time
People will always try and define you with scarcity language, and if we are not careful, we will begin to believe what they say. However, remember that you are more than “just.” You are who God says you are. You are a treasured child of the King.
in what ways have people attempted to define you, using scarcity language? How did you respond? How will knowing you are more than “just” help you respond differently?
KayElAr on December 30, 2009 at 8:28 pm
I think this is a good post. I am still in high school and this would be a really good lesson for many teenagers to learn. Labels are everywhere in society and definitely in school. I will admit that I have been labeled and have put labels to people. But we are all wrong. There is so much more to people than how they appear to be. Especially because many people try to be different than who they really are to be accepted. But what we really need to be is be ourselves and leave the judging to God. He loves us all equally and we are wonderful people, each and everyone of us because God made us that way. Beautiful people are those who aren’t afraid to be who God made them and that’s a beautiful thing.
I have been called not popular enough because I choose friends who are good, real people. I have been labeled a slut because I had lots of guy friends and because lots of guys liked the way I looked. I have been labeled one of the smart kids because I get good grades. I have been labeled “emo” because of the way I dressed and wore my make-up. I have also been labeled a goody goody because I am a Christian. But none of these labels are true, whether they are positive or negative. I am much more than a few traits people see. In the past I responded negatively to stereotypes. I have either tried to live up to the stereotype or I have tried to get back at the people who labeled me. But I was wrong. Now I ignore stereotypes and labels because I know they are wrong. I try to make a conscious effort to not label others in my mind because I wouldn’t want people to do that to me and because I know there is more to those people. I know I am more than the labels people have given me so I know others are more than the labels people give them. You don’t have to prove anything to anyone except yourself and God. That helps me respond positively to labels.
enmoredo on February 8, 2010 at 5:22 am
this is a very great message…i’ve been coursing through such wilderness of scarcity and this passage and message really explained a lot to me…i will value this message in the coming days to overcome scarcity and negativity specially in the workplace.i have to move on amidst setbacks and scarcity around me…”For God is better than whoever is with them or whatever challenges are there.Thank God!
Nathanee on March 5, 2010 at 5:50 am
Marvin, this is a wonderful message. Sometimes we don’t value and believe in ourself. We think someone is better than how we are? we think they deserve more respect than we do? I have learned something from this presentation: 1. We have to value ourself first before we are valued 2. We have to reject the labels people want to put on us, we should not start questioning ourself on what they say. God created us the way we are and we have to thank him for being His image. So we are more than “just”.