WHAT'S YOUR NAME?

A good name is rather to be chosen
than great riches, and loving favour
rather than silver and gold.
Proverbs 22:1

From the first breath we breathe and let out our first cry, a name for us has generally been already determined by our parents. I think today, parents think more about names and their meanings than what was done in my day. In my day, babies may have been named after a good friend or family member...sometimes just using a name picked out of the air. The name we are given, is the only thing we are given  that is free and permanent.

Through the years, even though a name is given to a baby out of love and with careful consideration, it's a fact that there are events in a child's life that can determine what that name comes to mean to others. I think we would call it “reputation.” There was a day before my day when parents stressed with children the importance of their name and guarding their last name. If a child did something that would draw negative attention to him or her, it reflected on the rest of the family. A name is important and it needs to be guarded and in a sense cherished.

I learned early in life how complicated my first name was. When asked my name, there were times I had to pronounce it for them maybe two times and at times even spell it. I hated the first day of school when a teacher would stand before the class and read off everyone's name. Teachers, even those who knew me and my parents, always said it wrong or distorted it. I never looked forward to that first day, but guess what...it was my given name by my parents and that's the way it would be for life.

I'm not sure even today if we realize the importance of our names. When I attended my 50 year high school reunion, there were people who couldn't attend, but their names were mentioned. At the mention of classmates names, pictures instantly came to mind of who they were in my life in high school. Even as adults now, names are important and register impressions with us. I can think of people in history I heard of in growing up years that registered in a negative way with me such as: Adolph Hitler, Lee Harvey Oswald, Lizzie Borden, Geronimo, etc. These folks were known for violent actions. Then, I can think of my former high school principal Goebel Patton and along with him a myriad of school teachers even into college, people I have worked with through the years, pastors I have grown under because of their consistent preaching/teaching of truth, and the list could go on of their positive influences in my life. When I hear their names be they family or otherwise, there are things that come to mind immediately of them.

In our day, as we view our culture, it would seem there are those who have no care of their names and their names being almost desecrated. I look at our media today with folks who went to schools of journalism, determined to make positive impacts on their community or nation. It would appear now they have sold their souls to the devil himself all for making money or a reputation for themselves. The good quality of their names that once was, sits now in a mass of disrepute and shame. These are folks who are known with big names and what the general public thinks of them doesn't seem to matter.

I will ever be grateful for the last name God has privileged me to now own. Marrying a man of character, integrity and godliness is a blessing I can't describe. Brian is on the quiet side at least in public, but can be an absolute nut at home. He's always appropriate at home and outside the home. He loves the Lord and spends time in the Word. It's a blessing beyond words bearing his last name.

A speaker I once heard said that you can make terrible errors in your early life and from that point with God's forgiveness and blessing, live out your life for Him. When that person dies, it is the good of the last part of that person's life that lives in people's minds. It's just the opposite with one who has lived a strong, good life most of the time. When that person errs terribly in his latter years, that too is what will be left in the minds of others.

I understand there will be people who will always think poorly of others, never like them and would even do their name damage. We have to leave that in God's hands. We must, however, do what we can to maintain a good name...we Christians would use the word we don't use much anymore and that is the word “testimony.” I am responsible for the life I live and for the relationship I keep with my Savior. What others think of when they hear my name should be as protected from damage as I can. I owe that to my past and present,  but mostly to my Heavenly Father.

Father, I am at peace that my name is written in Your book of life and I'm so grateful for that fact. Thank You for the times You have forgiven me and led me down Your path and away from Satan's way. I treasure Your name(s) and praise You for all You do for me day by day.

In Jesus' precious name....Amen