And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. Gen. 1:36
Tags are descriptive labels attached to an item to identify, recognize or classify the item. They are a very small piece (compared in size) attached to an item that profoundly impact the appreciation for the item by interested suitors or patrons. Tags contain valuable information that helps suitors or patrons make necessary determination about the item. It is therefore normal, usual and expected to always bypass the visual appreciation for an item and consider the descriptive details contained in the attached tag.
Tags are so important, necessary and essential to product evaluation that when a tag is missing on an item, the decision to purchase may be lacking vital/descriptive information required to conclude the selection regardless of the lure, appeal or visual attraction of the item. Decision is therefore impaired and improbable because of the missing tag. The converse is also probable; despite weakened visual attraction to select an item, clear communication of its nature and content by its tag may induce appreciation and selection of the item. There is a cogent lesson about tags, they inform the gratification and content of the eventual owner of the item.
In life’s course, it’s prevalent to see how life had tagged everyone. Some are healthy, others unhealthy, some rich, others poor, some others are neither, some are tagged clever, and others dull, etc. These tags often replace the natural name of people to identify them. It is not uncommon to identity some person as “richest” on the block though the name is unknown. It is my prayer that none of us will be incorrigibly tagged in Jesus Name.
Barren, was the descriptive label that described Elisabeth in family and social circles, she was so tagged. According to the Bible, “…a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years.” (Luke 1:5-7 KJV) Notice, everything about Zacharias and Elisabeth was fine and admirable until Elisabeth’s ‘tag’ was read.
With the tag, “Elisabeth was barren”, she was attributed to the family condition, blamed for the situation and labelled as the cause of their childlessness. “…they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren,” (Luke 1:7) but thank God, a new era emerged in that family life and course. God removed the old tag and the Angel of God said to Mary, “thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. For with God nothing shall be impossible.” (Luke 1:36-37)
There is a good and great lesson here; God is able to remove life’s cruel tag and replace it with a new and glorious one. He can change our identifying labels to reflect good and great description and no time is past or awkward with God to do that. About Elisabeth, “she hath also conceived a son in her old age:” (Luke 1:36) but note; “For with God nothing shall be impossible” (Luke 1:37)
You and I must be and remain with God who only is able to re-write life’s bad label and give everyone a new Brand name. This is Hope. We must not resign to life’s difficult and embarrassing name tags or labels but rise up and seek God like Jacob also did and had his tag changed; “thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name:…be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins;” (Gen. 35:10-11). Go for it.
