Philippians 2 v 9.
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name
What’s in a name? Plenty, according to Justin Kaplan and Anne Bernays, authors of the book The Language of Names. In the section of their book where they discuss literary names, Kaplan and Bernays point out that English novelist Charles Dickens was a great master at naming his characters. Seth Pecksniff, Wilkins Micawber, Tiny Tim, Sir Mulberry Hawk and Thomas Gradgrind are just a few examples of characters whose names reflect who they are.
For Christians, the name above all other names is Jesus. What’s in a name? All the grace of God, all the wonder of redemption, all that we believe and all that we are hoping for. We say it, we sing it and adoration fills our souls. We anticipate that day when every knee will bow and every tongue will praise that highest and holiest of all names—–Jesus.”
When I was young I really disliked my first name, Martha, and I hated it if someone called me that instead of Anna. Mind you it was better than the nickname I had when I was at primary school. I was small but strong and the other kids called me the “Mighty midget.”
Now I don’t mind my first name and respond quite happily to it when I’m called Martha. My third name is May which gives me the initials MAM. I remember a maths teacher insisted on calling me MAM in a not very pleasant way.
Some people suffer all their lives because of derogatory names called at them, but Jesus, who knows us all by name, wants us to respect others and live our lives as He would, showing His love to all.
Let’s pray that we will always remember that faith in the name of Jesus is a password to heaven.