What's in a name

In American culture, people are given names for many reasons. If we are named after our parents or grandparents, or other people that were significant in our parents’ lives, our names may have meaning, but more often than not, our names have little significance, except that our parents liked the sound of it. In Bible times, however, people were often given names to describe their character. For instance, Abram, whose name meant “Exhalted father” (though he had no children at the time), was given a new name, Abraham, meaning “Father of many” after God promised to make him the father of a great nation. His son was named “Isaac,” which means, “he laughs,” because, as Sarah (his mother) said, “God has brought me laughter! All who hear abou this will laugh with me.” Gen 21:6.

Isaac had two sons, Esau, “hairy,” and Jacob, “deceiver.” Can you imagine what it must have been like to be in school in that culture? “okay, class, take your seats. Hairy, please sit down. Deceiver, did you finish your homework? Trouble, please erase the chalkboard. Smiley, please hand out the assignments…” I guess my name isn’t so bad after all!

But Jacob didn’t have to keep such a name for long. After a night wrestling with the Lord, he was given a new name, “Israel,” or, “One who struggles with God.” How fitting that he goes on to head a nation that continued to struggle with God throughout history. And now, for those of us who consider ourselves to be part of spiritual Israel, (see Galatians 3:29), we continue to struggle with God in our daily lives.

It seems that throughout the scriptures, whenever someone encountered a life-changing experience with God, he would change their name. Perhaps this is why he promises in Revelation 2:17, “…And I will give to each one a white stone, and on the stone will be engraved a new name that no one knows except the one who receives it.” (NLT). I used to think that this meant that God knows something about my character that he wants everyone to know, so he changes my name. I would often wonder what it might be. That is a difficult question: what does God see in me that he would want to name me for? As I have pondered this question, a new idea crossed my mind.

I have read a lot about how bad it is to label our kids (or anyone else for that matter). Kids that grow up being told that they are “losers” or that they will “never amount to anything,” or that they are “stupid” or “fat” or “lazy” end up living up to the labels. They call this a self-fulfilling prophecy. If the kids hear it enough, they start believing it, and then they start acting like they believe they are actually the label. But, this also works the other way around. If we remind them how smart, or successful, or brave, or handsome, or beautiful, or thoughtful, etc, they begin to believe it, if they hear it enough.

So, now I wonder if God is choosing a name for me that will be more of a label of what He knows I can be. Coming from a fallen world, I worry that I won’t be fit for heaven. Maybe God will give me a name like “trusting,” knowing that I don’t have enough trust. Then, I may say to myself, “Wow. If God thinks I am trusting, maybe I am. Then I will start to act more trusting, because I think that God already sees me this way, and I won’t want to let him down. Then, I may actually find that I am trusting, as I exercise my new “trust” muscle.

As I thought about this more, I thought of ways that maybe I could use this new idea. Maybe I will start to call my children by more positive labels. When my daughter challenges me, I can say, “Wow. You are becoming such an independent woman.” When my patients or my coworkers bring me a complaint, I can say, “Thank you for helping me to fix this problem,” instead of shaking my head at their complaints. Maybe I can start looking specifically for people’s positive contributions and will see how caring, or thoughtful, or proactive they are, and treat them that way.

Maybe then God will have to think of a new name for me…..