Spilled coffee and ignoring my GPS have been a couple of my minor mishaps to being deep in thought only to realize I missed my turn. I could quickly slap the label “clumsy” on myself but not today. Today, I say let’s do away with the labels.

As I was pulling into my driveway, a thought came to mind that stuck around. I obviously have never met Jesus’ twelve disciples, but I thought of Thomas in the Bible out of the blue. If we were friends, we might talk about labels. So many have labeled him “Doubting Thomas.” I asked myself, “Why do I label others? Why do I label myself?” I sensed the Holy Spirit reminding me I shouldn’t stick to the labels.

We see Thomas doubting in John 20. And it’s true. He did doubt that the other disciples saw Jesus, and he wanted to see with his own eyes the scars of Jesus. Jesus graciously comes to him, showing Thomas His scars, and even lets him touch the places where the nails pierced His skin. Jesus speaks peace to him and says, “Stop doubting and believe.” (John 20:27)

Despite Thomas’s doubt, I love that Jesus spoke peace to him, saying, “Peace, be with you!” In times of doubt, I, too, can receive that peace that Jesus always offers. I also find it amazing to see the courage that Thomas had. Looking past the label of doubt, we see his courage and devotion to Jesus.

True, Thomas doubted, but he also had much courage.

Then Thomas said to the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go; that we may die with him.”

John 11:16

Is it second nature for us to see the doubt in Thomas first rather than the courage he displayed? I want to learn from his doubt and believe wholeheartedly. I also want to acknowledge his courage to go when Jesus said go.

Peeling away the labels of “comparison,” “too much,” “not enough,” “extra,” and “doubt” opens our eyes to see beyond what has become normal. Beyond the labels, we witness goodness and truth. Joy and love. Peace and hope.

We will see the good firsthand as we remove the labels. Rather than the imperfections and flaws, we can turn to see what is good about someone. The truth is we all have weaknesses. Imperfections are ingrained in all of us. Yet isn’t that the beauty of how intricately we are designed?

Thomas doubted, and the other disciples had their character flaws, too. I’m so glad we can learn from them. We can also learn from our encounters with our own faith. Beyond all of our imperfections, there is goodness.

Jesus doesn’t label us. Instead, He reveals Himself to us in extraordinary ways so that we will see the truth. Jesus shows us the truth because He wants us to live by the truth.

Instead of calling Thomas “Doubting Thomas,” I want to see him as “Thomas.” Rather than seeing some as being consumed in the negative, I want to see them as a child of God who has the potential to find joy. Instead of calling myself clumsy through countless mistakes, I want to see myself as a daughter of the King, learning to see the good in all things, even the mistakes.

We find so much truth and potential about others and ourselves under the labels. Let’s remove those labels and stick to the truth.