Our world enjoys labeling people. Whether by skin color, gender, economic status, ethnic
background, political affiliation, age, or whatever else it may be, labels are popular. This
sort of labeling divides people into categories and causes much strife and argument.
There was labeling going on in Colossae as well: Greek, Jew, circumcised, uncircumcised,
barbarian, Scythian, slave, free. But in Colossians, Paul gives us a label that we share and
a label that leads not to divisive evil but to amazing generosity and love. Paul writes, “You
have been raised with Christ.” Imagine that. He doesn’t say that you will one day in the
future be raised with Christ (although that is also true), he says, “You have been raised
with Christ.” That is the label we are marked with in Holy Baptism. This comes to us by
grace and calls forth from us a life abundant with generosity.