A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold. Proverbs 22: 1.
Dear God, as we come together around Your Word, please speak to our hearts, and help us to discover what is in a good name. In Jesus’ name, the name which is above every name, we pray. Amen.
“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name should smell as sweet” (Romeo & Juliet, II, ii, 1-2). These were the words spoken by Juliet, to Romeo, when she asked him to deny his family name, to be known from that day forward, as “Juliet’s lover.”
I believe she was on to something much deeper than even she imagined; or maybe she said what she did because she knew, the depth of her words. That brings us to the question, does the name make the person who he or she is, or does the person make the name what it is? Does our name describe us? Or, Do we give description to our name? Perhaps I could ask this question still another way, Does my name give meaning to me? Or, do I give meaning to my name? Let me translate the question this way: When my name is called, what do people immediately think of? Would I still be “sweet as a rose,” even if I were called by another name? Many years ago, I heard a story that I believe will serve to illustrate the answer to our question.
A missionary arrived at the village where he planned to conduct a series of meetings. Immediately, he started preparing the place where he planned to conduct the services. Day after day, as he worked, the villagers would draw near to observe. When his work was completed, he went from door to door, distributing invitations to every family, and individual, in the village. Soon the big day arrived. Hours before the scheduled time for the meetings to begin, the villagers started arriving and taking their place. In all his years as a missionary the pastor had never observed anything like it! But he was very grateful for the willingness of the villagers, to attend the meetings.
He received an even greater surprise, when the villagers joined heartily in singing the songs, that he had imagined would be new to them. They seemed to know every word of every song, and sang them with all their heart! Then it was time for him to tell them the “old, old, story of Jesus and His love.” He stood and looked into their smiling faces, and began. By the time he was half-way through the message, he could not help but hear some deep sobs throughout the crowd, which got louder and louder as he continued. He decided to stop and ask what was the reason for their reaction. So he made a pause, and asked if he had said something wrong. Had he hurt their feelings by something he said, or did?
The chief of the village stood, and began to speak. Much to the pastor’s surprise he said, “We know the man you are talking about. He lived among us for many years.” To this the pastor replied, “But that cannot be, this man lived and died, was buried, and resurrected, long before any of us were born!” But the chief insisted, “We did know him. He lived among us for many years, until he became sick and died. We buried him among our people.” Then he insisted that the pastor accompany him to the burial site. Soon the entire village was walking in silence behind the village chief and the pastor. When they arrived at the cemetery, the chief took his staff and pointed to one of the tombstones. The pastor’s mouth fell open in surprise, as he recognized the name on the tombstone as the name of his friend and fellow-pastor, who had been a missionary many years prior! He had lost contact with him, and never knew where he had spent his final years.
This man of God, had so exemplified the Savior, that when they heard the story of Jesus, the image that came to their minds was that of this faithful servant of God! Whose story would remind others of you or me? Perhaps now, we are better prepared to answer the question: What is in a good name? The life of a good man or woman, girl or boy!