Living Up To Your Name
One of the really good things about our yard is our big willow tree. One of the really BAD things about our yard is also our big willow tree! During the summer the tree shades almost the entire back yard. In the fall it sheds what seems like million of leaves. We have the exciting challenge of raking and bagging hundreds of bags every year. Okay, maybe not one hundred, but it seems like it. Since the yard is my jurisdiction, as head chief in charge of the back yard-it’s my domain-my labor force is restricted...well...guess who? One day last fall I was out there raking away - the lone raker, and suddenly an angel arrived in the yard - well, actually it was our 12-year old next door neighbor. He must be an angel - he said he wanted to help! And help he did - he raked, he bagged - and he said, "Anytime I hear you raking, I'm going to come over and help." This kid must have specially tailored sweaters to cover her wings! As the young man was going for another bag, he told me why he had come - he said, "It’s my calling. I’m called to serve. So I'm helping!"
The boy next door had been "called to serve" by a Sunday school teacher- and he was living up to his calling.
Acts 4:36 - the Bible identifies a man who will become a trusted and important leader of the early Christian church. It calls him, Joseph, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means Son of Consolation (encouragement). Later we see Barnabas go into action when the Christians are trying to decide how to handle the most notorious convert they had - Saul of Tarsus, the man who had until recently the #1 persecutor of the saints - but now he had met Christ. Acts 9:26, tells how Saul tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. Barnabas introduces Saul and opens the door for him to the apostles. The Son of Encouragement is putting an arm around a new believer, giving him a chance when no one else will.
This is the story of Barnabas' life. In chapter 11, we're told that the believers - who were almost all Jews at this point - weren't sure how to respond to the news that Gentiles were coming to Christ in Antioch. Guess who they sent to check it out? They sent Barnabas. When he arrived and saw that the saints in Antioch were fine, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord. What else would you expect from Mr. Encouragement? Later, when Barnabas and Paul have a disagreement on a young missionary named Mark, it is Barnabas who takes a chance on this young man who has flunked out once as a missionary - and mentors him into leadership. The point is obvious - just like my friend next door, Barnabas became what he was called, did what his name indicated he would do.
What’s in a Name?
Prior to the birth of my first child, I had thought that all my children would have scriptural names, names that they could relate to in scripture. When my first child was born, a little girl, I went back on my original idea. I just could not find a name that really fit her from the scriptures...except my little devil. We named her Paige, which came close to being scriptural, beings that there are many pages in the scriptures. With our second child it was much easier. A little boy, named Benjamin, King Benjamin, the one who taught the principle of service to God by serving others. I have to admit that my hopes are that he live up to his name, that he stay true to his biblical name that means Son of the Right Hand.
What my wife and I are really doing is help each of our children see the masterpiece God made when He made them. We desire each of our children to live up to the name they are called.
...But names will never hurt me!
Just as important as names we are called, so too is the importance of what we are called. As parents, we forget the power of our words - to make our children feel big or small. Call them lazy or stupid or rebel or uncaring, and chances are that will imprint the tape in their heart and play back their whole life. They will become what you call them. That's why it is so important to consistently call them what we want them to become - caring, loving, unselfish, helper, listener, creative - even when you see just a flash of a great trait, tell them how much that means to you.
Our mate tends to become what we call them too, same with our co-workers and friends. It's so important to water what you want to grow - with positive strokes and sincere praise. Look for the beauty in each person in your world . . . for the gifts they have . . . for a spark of what they COULD be if someone would just fan that spark.
I'm personally very thankful for the Sunday school teacher who called my neighbor to serve. The name he is called does not mean as much as what he was called to do. He is becoming what he's been called.