It Starts Small

While studying Philippians, I came across a man, mentioned by Paul, Epaphroditus. He is mentioned in Philippians 2:25-30. I thought his name was interesting. We can elarn alot from biblical names. If you take the “Ep” and “us” off his name, you get aphrodit. Aphrodities was a greek goddess worshipped for fertility and love. I thought that was inte’s resting that he never changed his name. Many times we see name changes in the Bible:

Abram to Abraham
Sari to Sarah
Jacob to Israel
Hosea to Joshua
Saul to Paul

Yet, even though this man’s name meant: belonging to aphrodite, he kept his name. Why? We do not specifically learn why, but I believe it is because he was not afraid of where he came from, who he was, and his past. I believe he used his name as a curiosity getter. Because of his name, I am certain he probably faced opposition, but God used it as a testimony. His name showed he was a gentile, a greek, but Jesus came to save all people.

His name got me to thinking about the story A Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. In that story, a woman was forced to wear a big capital A on her chest. Her husband was not pronounced dead by the local law, although he had not been heard from for years. Eventually she started showing signs that she was with child and the law demanded she tell them who the father was. She refused and was forced to wear the letter A that signified she was an adulteress. It was meant to shame her.

What signs do we intentionally put on people?

What labels to we force upon people?

What labels and judgements to we award people based on their sin?

The world’s philosophy is that we slap a label on everyone. The world wants us to define people by their past and their sin. It is sad that even among brothers and sisters in Christ we gossip about, slander, and label others. The world loves it when people backslide and fall to the wayside. It gossips, slanders and lies about the person instead of having compassion as Jesus does.

That is what I love about my Heavenly Father. It does not matter to Him. He looks upon all of us with love. That is what we need to fill our hearts with and stop looking at others around us as what their sin is. God does not separate or label us as this sin or that sin, instead he forgives and loves us.

When you look upon a homeless person, what do you label them?
When you look upon those struggling with addiction, what do you label them as?
When you look upon someone who acts differently than you expect them to act, what do you label them?
When someone is obviously suffering, hurting, and fallen off the path, what do you label them as?

God had purpose in this man, and as we explore this short section of verse, we will see how God used him in a powerful unique way!

If you are struggling with your own labels, or the labels others have shamed you with, remember who God says you are. Pray for those people that look down upon you. What God has rescued you from is a testimony, and not a platform for others to shame you or label you. Remember that sort of attitude and action comes from evil. Remember the labels Jesus was given and know that he understands. Do not let the power of your testimony be burned up by people who look down their nose at you.