What's In A Name?

Jesus Christ, our Savior, is the One who, according to Philippians 2:
(8b) ...humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

His name is described as a strong tower, and as we call upon His name, we can be assured that we have access to the very throne of God.   As we embrace His name, we can experience His presence, His power, and know His peace.   A name is a very powerful thing, and His name is the most exalted of all.

Proverbs 22 discusses the building of a godly reputation:
1 A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, Loving favor rather than silver and gold. 2 The rich and the poor have this in common, The Lord is the maker of them all. 3 A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself, But the simple pass on and are punished. 4 By humility and the fear of the Lord Are riches and honor and life.

The annual list of top baby names has been released by the Social Security Administration, and for the 13th straight year, Jacob is the top boy name.  Sophia replaced Isabella as the top name for girls.   Laura Wattenberg, creator of the website, babynamewizard.com, said, "It shows what we're paying attention to, what we're thinking about..."   Indeed, when you figure that the name Mason is #2, coinciding with the birth of Kourtney Kardashian's son, that is perhaps a reflection of pop culture.   And, Biblical names continue to be popular - for years, John, James, Mary, and Elizabeth were the most popular, and now, the top boy name, Jacob, as well as Noah, Eiljah, and Joshua are all in the top 15.

Religious and cultural factors contribute to the naming of a child, and so do family considerations.  I am named after both my grandfathers, and family influences are present in my wife's name, and our process of naming our own children.   And, names are important.   The furtherance of a family name is an important tradition and makes a lasting imprint on society.

Names are important, as well as what our names come to represent.  When someone hears our name, there is a certain impression that is made - so we build our name by the lives we live, by the reputations we establish.    So, when your name is spoken or written, will people think highly of you?  Perhaps will they associate your name and your life with the name that is above all names - Jesus Christ.    If we have built a good reputation, then if our name is used by someone else, it will carry some weight and influence; when we speak the name of Jesus, we can know that we have access to the resources of heaven - because we have accepted Him, we can speak to God the Father through Him.

What's in a name?   Plenty.  And through the power of Christ, we can build a good and godly reputation, infused with character that comes from Him.