I had a student who did not name his children until their first birthday. He told me he wanted to name each child something that was appropriate for the child’s personality. I have to admit it made a lot more sense than the way most of us do it. Most of us name our children at birth after a relative or a name popular in our culture like a soap opera personality. I have always liked Job’s names for his three daughters. See chapter 42. The first one was Dove. The second was Cinnamon and the third was Dark Eyes. I have had some Cinnamons as students. However, their names were not translated to English from the Hebrew. They called themselves Keisha and Lakeisha.
My parents named me after my father’s father and never called me that name. Instead they called me by my middle name. Strange. When people ask me what my first name is I enjoy asking them if they would believe it is Hercules. Most just smile and write it down. I did have a girl at our local pizza parlor say, “Come on. Tell me your real name.” Smart girl.
I wonder what our names would be had we had the chance to name ourselves. In Revelation 2:17 we are told we will get a new name in heaven, one that is appropriate for our personality. “To the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it.” What will be your new name? Loved? Forgiven? Dove? Sweets? Surely mine will be “Amazed I Am Here?” “Amazed” for short.
Written by Roger Bothwell on January 24, 2014
Spring of Life, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574
Rogerbothwell.org