We love labels, Jesus.

We parade them on our clothes and on our possessions

to make sure everyone knows

who we are

and what we’ve accomplished

They’re so useful, Jesus.

We use them to divide ourselves up

so that everyone knows where they fit in

where they belong

and where they don’t.

 

But, the truth is, our labels are heavy, Jesus.

We have to live up to them, and maintain the status quo they create,

we waste so much time working out who’s in and who’s out

who it’s OK to like

and who we need to shun

and beneath it all, we’re afraid that maybe one day

we’ll wear the wrong label and not realise it,

and suddenly we’ll be the ones who are outside.

 

So, there’s only one thing to do, Jesus.

It’s what you’ve wanted us to do all along,

We’re ripping off the labels, throwing them to the wind

and allowing the freedom of “labellessness” to claim us.

 

We need you to help us to do this, Jesus.

Not just for us, but for all people;

To help us forget our fascination with labels,

our need to classify and divide ourselves,

our fear of those who are different,

strange,

surprising,

challenging.

So that we can all find a way to live and love

in peace and freedom and equality.