Ponderings on the use of labels

I am a fan of labels.

I have always sought a 'box' to fit into. Boxes make things neat and organized. Boxes make things orderly. First I was a daughter, then a wife, then a mother, then a teacher. Neat, orderly, organized. Of course, I always labeled myself a Christian, though I didn't fully understand what that meant until later in life and I'm still learning. I was also a 'good girl'. I was a 'good' student, a 'good' friend, a 'good' driver. I was all-around 'good'... and I liked it that way.

Over the years, I put myself in the box of 'homeschooler', 'quiverful', 'patriarchal' and so on. Lately, though I've been becoming more and more uncomfortable with the boxes. These 'movements' are not the end-all/be-all of walking out the Christian life. In fact, sometimes they limit, and hinder, and hurt.

I cannot tell you how many women have disparaged the movement commonly called 'patriarchy' saying that their husbands are ogres and take advantage of them, take them for granted, or worse. I have debated the issue hotly. Just because someone sins under the guise of 'patriarchy' does not mean 'patriarchy' is wrong does it? (the correct answer is no)

Homeschoolers get a bad rap too. You've got your kook fringe that keeps their kids out of school so they can beat and starve them. On the other extreme, you've got your holy rollers that proclaim anyone who does not homeschool their children in a denim jumper while baking their own bread, making their own soap and rendering their own lard is on the slippery slope to hell. Where does a simple mother called to homeschool her children fit into that paradigm? I ask you.

Then there is the quiverful movement which can make a woman with less than double-digit kids feel like a failure or barren by way of sin.

The problem is I fit into all of these categories and I believe in all of those things. My general response to criticisms is what you would expect. Everyone can sin within and without of these various 'movements', but don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. But, that's getting harder and harder to defend.

What really made me ponder this recently was a certain "Christian" church. This church, without going into detail, was anything but "Christian"... at least by my understanding. I told my husband that I no longer want to be known as a "Christian" because people have broad interpretations of that word these days. The labels are limiting and defining me in ways that are less and less appealing.

So, if not a Christian, homeschooling, patriarchal, quiverful, natural foods loving, vaccine delaying, conservative but not Republican woman, what then?

Christ follower. Even better, Bible believing Christ follower. It's all the label I want and all the label I need. When you live by the Bible, everything falls naturally into place as the Lord designed it.

The rest are man made boxes open to wrong interpretation. Labels change. It used to be a compliment to your positive spirit and exuberance to be labeled 'gay'. I'm just saying... things change. Meanings change. Labels change.

There is nothing left to interpretation in the words Christ follower. It's all I am and all I ever want to be. The rest is gravy.