What's in a Name?
A precious child was visiting my house while his mother was at Bible Study. It was time for him to leave and he was trying to get his shoes on but was having a difficult time. In order to assist him I said, “Buddy, would you like some help with your shoes?” The child looked up at me with his big beautiful eyes and said, “My name is not Buddy; it is Addison.” Now I had to laugh because to me “Buddy” is an endearing term that I use with my grandson, my grand-dogs and other special people in my life, but clearly this child did not like me assigning him a new name. I admire the fact that he was confident enough to set me straight on his name.
It did start me thinking about our names. We are told several things in scripture about names, including:
- Jesus knows us by name—He doesn’t have to use a nickname or scratch His head trying to remember who we are. John 10:3 The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
- The Lamb’s Book of Life contains our names if we trust in Him as our Lord and Savior and Jesus will tell the Father about us by name. Revelation 3:5 He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels.
- Our names are so important to Jesus that He has engraved them on His hands, the same hands that nails pierced for my sins and yours. The shed blood covered the names when He was crucified. Isaiah 49:16a See, I have written your name on the palms of my hands. (NLT)
- Someday we will get a new name—Do you wonder what yours will be? Will it have anything to do with the way we have lived here on this earth? Will we be able to give input as to what it will be? Revelation 2:17b I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it.
- When we see Him face to face, we will be wearing His name. This tells me that my name is really not that important, but God’s name is and should be lifted up, praised and exalted. Revelation 22:4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.
I hope I will not make the same mistake by calling little Addison by the nickname of “Buddy,” but he did teach me a valuable lesson: People like to be called by the right name and with Jesus, we don’t have to worry--He will never forget our name or use the wrong one!
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