We live in a time and in a society in which it appears as if names are no longer significant. This is evident of a western society where parents give their children names that appear void of any meaning. Many children's names do not speak any virtue or predict any blessings. When asked how her daughters got their names, a friend of mine recently shared with me how they got their names. Their names were combinations of the first syllables in the different names of different relatives. Names should speak of a character, a virtue, a value, or a purpose in life. Names should be carefully thought out and even prayed about. God takes names seriously. If God takes names seriously, so should we. Let us break the cycles of meaningless names.
There is a strong link between name and achievement. I am supposing that the reason why some people never achieve anything significant is because of names that are not significant. What I am driving at is that names can drive (motivate) achievement. Parents practice name affirmation in both Western and non-Western cultures. This is a practice in which parents consistently emphasized or affirmed the virtue of personal and family names to their children. As such, children grow up to adopt and practice those virtues.
The Bible records a long list of carefully given and divinely ordained names of people. Divinely ordained means some of those people were named by God. In such cases, those names reflect the purpose of God in those people's lives. Some divinely ordained names were given prebirth, before or during conception. In cases where God did not give those names before birth, He changed those names usually during an encounter, in order to reflect a divine purpose in those people's lives. In other cases, names were carefully thought out and carefully given and were usually relevant and meaningful. Meaningful names can either be reflective or predictive. Reflective means it speaks of a significant value, blessing, or situation (usually relevant to the life of the parents or family). Predictive means it speaks a particular virtue, blessing, or purpose into the future of the child. The name “Noah” was predictive. It means “will comfort”. It was predictive of Noah's righteous walk with God in view of Adam's unrighteousness. Noah eventually comforted generations to come. Abraham was a direct descendant of Noah and the promise to Abraham was fulfilled in Christ, the seed of Abraham. The name “Abraham” was also predictive. It was predictive of the nation of Israel. It is one of those divinely given names in the Bible. It means “father of many”. Jacob, who would be considered the founding father of the nation was a first generation grandson of Abraham. Since Abraham's wife was intricately linked to the fulfillment of the purpose, God had to change her name as well, to reflect the promise to Abraham. The name “Sarah” means “princess”, predictive of the many kings and princes that would descend through her. Isaac was divinely named prebirth. It means “he will laugh”. It was most likely that the meaning of the name was linked to the consolation that Abraham and Sarah would receive in having their own son, even in their old age. Jacob's name on the other hand is reflective. It means “he struggles with God”. It was reflective of Jacob's encounter with the angel of the Lord and his subsequent victory. All the names of Jacob's twelve sons are also reflective names. They were reflective of the circumstances surrounding their births.
The name “Christian” is one of those divinely ordained names. The name “Christian” is rooted in the person, purpose, and identity of Jesus Christ. Contrary to popular belief, the name “Christian” does not imply a religion but rather a relationship. It implies a relationship with God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. The name Christian spells integrity rather than vice. The name Christian spells hope instead of doom. The name Christian spells courage instead of fear. The name Christian spells purity instead of iniquity, wisdom instead of foolishness, and faith instead of fear. It signifies purpose, for you are the salt of the earth (Matthew 5: 13). It signifies impact, for you are the light of the world (Matthew 5: 14). It signifies value, because you are worth more than everything (Matthew 10: 31). It signifies God's purpose, for you are sanctified (Acts 20: 32). You are not a sinner because God's grace has broken the shackles of sin in your life (Romans 6: 14). You are no longer hindered by your flesh but motivated and driven by the Spirit of God (Rom. 8: 9). Satan has lost you, you are now a child of the living God (Rom. 9: 26). You are not a mean person because you are filled with God's goodness (Rom. 15: 4). You are not ignorant because you are filled with all knowledge (Rom. 15: 4). You are not a destitute because you are not lacking in any gift (1 Cor. 1: 7). You are not useless because you are God's fellow worker (1 Cor. 3: 9). You are not trash because you are a temple of God and the Spirit of God lives in you (1 Cor. 3: 16). You are a minister in God's cabinet because you are an ambassador of Christ (2 Cor. 5: 20). You are a living stone because you are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood (1 Peter 2: 5). You are not a color but a chosen race (1 Peter 2: 9). You are extraordinary because you shall proclaim the Excellencies of Him who has called you (1 Peter 2: 9). You used to be cursed but now you are blessed (1 Peter 3: 14).
Name drives character.Name drives achievement.A name spells integrity or vice. A name spells hope or doom.A name spells courage or fear.A name spells wisdom or foolishness.A name sometimes can drive your purpose in life. My prayer for you in the year 2012 is that you will discover the Christian life with all of its rights and privileges. Amen!
There is a strong link between name and achievement. I am supposing that the reason why some people never achieve anything significant is because of names that are not significant. What I am driving at is that names can drive (motivate) achievement. Parents practice name affirmation in both Western and non-Western cultures. This is a practice in which parents consistently emphasized or affirmed the virtue of personal and family names to their children. As such, children grow up to adopt and practice those virtues.
The Bible records a long list of carefully given and divinely ordained names of people. Divinely ordained means some of those people were named by God. In such cases, those names reflect the purpose of God in those people's lives. Some divinely ordained names were given prebirth, before or during conception. In cases where God did not give those names before birth, He changed those names usually during an encounter, in order to reflect a divine purpose in those people's lives. In other cases, names were carefully thought out and carefully given and were usually relevant and meaningful. Meaningful names can either be reflective or predictive. Reflective means it speaks of a significant value, blessing, or situation (usually relevant to the life of the parents or family). Predictive means it speaks a particular virtue, blessing, or purpose into the future of the child. The name “Noah” was predictive. It means “will comfort”. It was predictive of Noah's righteous walk with God in view of Adam's unrighteousness. Noah eventually comforted generations to come. Abraham was a direct descendant of Noah and the promise to Abraham was fulfilled in Christ, the seed of Abraham. The name “Abraham” was also predictive. It was predictive of the nation of Israel. It is one of those divinely given names in the Bible. It means “father of many”. Jacob, who would be considered the founding father of the nation was a first generation grandson of Abraham. Since Abraham's wife was intricately linked to the fulfillment of the purpose, God had to change her name as well, to reflect the promise to Abraham. The name “Sarah” means “princess”, predictive of the many kings and princes that would descend through her. Isaac was divinely named prebirth. It means “he will laugh”. It was most likely that the meaning of the name was linked to the consolation that Abraham and Sarah would receive in having their own son, even in their old age. Jacob's name on the other hand is reflective. It means “he struggles with God”. It was reflective of Jacob's encounter with the angel of the Lord and his subsequent victory. All the names of Jacob's twelve sons are also reflective names. They were reflective of the circumstances surrounding their births.
The name “Christian” is one of those divinely ordained names. The name “Christian” is rooted in the person, purpose, and identity of Jesus Christ. Contrary to popular belief, the name “Christian” does not imply a religion but rather a relationship. It implies a relationship with God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. The name Christian spells integrity rather than vice. The name Christian spells hope instead of doom. The name Christian spells courage instead of fear. The name Christian spells purity instead of iniquity, wisdom instead of foolishness, and faith instead of fear. It signifies purpose, for you are the salt of the earth (Matthew 5: 13). It signifies impact, for you are the light of the world (Matthew 5: 14). It signifies value, because you are worth more than everything (Matthew 10: 31). It signifies God's purpose, for you are sanctified (Acts 20: 32). You are not a sinner because God's grace has broken the shackles of sin in your life (Romans 6: 14). You are no longer hindered by your flesh but motivated and driven by the Spirit of God (Rom. 8: 9). Satan has lost you, you are now a child of the living God (Rom. 9: 26). You are not a mean person because you are filled with God's goodness (Rom. 15: 4). You are not ignorant because you are filled with all knowledge (Rom. 15: 4). You are not a destitute because you are not lacking in any gift (1 Cor. 1: 7). You are not useless because you are God's fellow worker (1 Cor. 3: 9). You are not trash because you are a temple of God and the Spirit of God lives in you (1 Cor. 3: 16). You are a minister in God's cabinet because you are an ambassador of Christ (2 Cor. 5: 20). You are a living stone because you are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood (1 Peter 2: 5). You are not a color but a chosen race (1 Peter 2: 9). You are extraordinary because you shall proclaim the Excellencies of Him who has called you (1 Peter 2: 9). You used to be cursed but now you are blessed (1 Peter 3: 14).
Name drives character.Name drives achievement.A name spells integrity or vice. A name spells hope or doom.A name spells courage or fear.A name spells wisdom or foolishness.A name sometimes can drive your purpose in life. My prayer for you in the year 2012 is that you will discover the Christian life with all of its rights and privileges. Amen!
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