{my graphics are free goodies for you}
“Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me” must have been said by someone who never experienced Junior High. I still remember the sentences hurled at me. “You’re so ugly.” “No one likes you.” “You’re such a dork (the ultimate insult in the early nineties).”
I outgrew my acid-washed jeans, tamed my big bangs and became a grown-up. But there were still words that wounded me. And this time the attacker of my heart followed me home. Actually, she followed me everywhere. Because she was me. She said things like, “You’re not a good enough wife.” “You don’t have what it takes.” “You should be a better Christian.”
All those hurtful words shortened into a handful of names scribbled across my soul…
Outcast.
Failure.
Disappointment.
{I imagine you have your own labels too.}
I began to believe those words declared my identity. Like a badge that says, “Hi, my name is…” I let them define me. Limit me. Push me around. But then I read Philippians 2:9-10.
Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor
and gave him the name above all other names,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth.
It’s the first line in the first verse that changed so much for me. God “gave him the name above all other names.” Have you ever played cards? Then you know what a “trump card” means. It’s the one that beats all the others. The name of Jesus trumps all other names—including the ones other people, the enemy of our soul and even ourselves have tried to give us. In other words, Jesus gets the last say.
The world may try to name us “unwanted” but Jesus calls us “chosen.”
The enemy of our soul may try to name us “sinner” but Jesus calls us “forgiven.”
The voice in our own hearts may try to name us “victim” but Jesus calls us “victorious.”
The One who is the Word takes the power away from the words spoken to us. He is above all names. He is above all labels. He is above all critical comments. He is above all lies. He is above everything that tries to push us down, shut us up or keep us from being all we’re created to be. That truth is huge. Bigger than my bangs back in Junior High. {And believe me, that’s saying a lot.}
We’ve put up with all the nonsense that’s been said to us long enough, don’t you think? The time has come to put on our sassiest pair of shoes and stomp on all those names, labels and lies. Then we’ll stand tall above it all with the Savior who loves us. Are you with me?
XOXO
Holley Gerth
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P.S. Friends, a fantastic book released yesterday that I absolutely recommend. Choose Joy is a wonderful book to begin a new year!
P.S.S. Let’s make 2016 an amazing year. Will you take the dare with me?
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Welcome to the Coffee for Your Heart weekly link-up! You’re an encourager so I’m asking you to pour out a little love with your words every Wednesday {link-up goes live at 5:30am CST}. Simply write an encouraging blog post and then share it here. Don’t have a blog? You can still write an encouraging comment. If you’re reading this by email, go to holleygerth.com to see all the fun and join in too.
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I’m having Coffee For Your Heart with my friend Holley Gerth
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