Do you know what your name means? Like me, maybe you have an uncommon name. You may not be able to find your name on key chains or magnets. Or, you may have a name so common you had to have a nickname growing up because four other people in your class had the same name as you and your teacher couldn’t keep you all straight.
Believe it or not, this week is national “Celebrate your name week.” I think it’s a great reminder to not only celebrate our names, but also to think about the important part names play in our everyday lives.
In the Bible, we read several instances of God renaming people. In most of these cases, the name was symbolic of a promise God had given the person, or God giving the person a new identity in Him. For example, Abram was renamed Abraham when God made a covenant with him: Abraham means, “father of many nations,” so God was creating a covenant with Abraham that would make him the father of many nations (Genesis 17). Every time God called Abraham by name, Abraham was reminded of the covenant God had made with him.
In my own experience, I remember feeling such pressure when it came to choosing names for each of my four children. I would imagine calling the kids to come in from playing outside, and string names together to see how they sounded. I remember praying about what names to use as I was carrying each baby, and eventually felt led to use specific names—and every name fits each child perfectly.
For instance, we chose the name Atticus for our first son. It is not a popular name and we have never found it on a single key chain. In fact, it was even difficult to find the meaning of his name when we first considered using it. His name, however, comes from my favorite novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, and it is an old Greek name that means “ethical one.” Part of his identity is now wrapped up in the meaning of his name and every time I call him by name, I speak that meaning, that promise, into his life.
Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. —Isaiah 43:1
As Christians, we should remember that we bear the name of Christ. We need to remember that we are a reflection of our Savior, and we should not lose sight of how important that is to the world around us. In fact, Philippians 2:9 tells us, “Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name.” On the other hand, the book of Proverbs tells us “A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold” (Proverbs 22:1).
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We may acquire a good name for ourselves in this life, in this world, but the highest name belongs to Jesus, and as his followers, we should remember that his name is above all other names. And when we take it on as part of our identity, we need to make sure we are good witnesses of who he is. As Christ-followers, we are called by God, chosen to be his people, to be his light in this dark world. Therefore, as we celebrate our earthly names, we should also remember to celebrate the name we are given when we become followers of Christ.
Love Jesus. Love each other. Love your city.
Harvest, go be the Church!
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