YOU ARE WHAT YOUR NAME IS

YOU ARE WHAT YOUR NAME IS

DR.MERVYN ABREO

          Your ‘name’ is who you are!

          But we should always keep in mind that we should come alive and make a ‘name’ for ourselves and not continue to exist under the shadow of the name endowed to us!

There is an old English nursery rhyme that goes like this:

Sticks and stones may break my bones,

But words will never hurt me.

I have changed it to:

Never have those sticks or stones,

Landed me with broken bones.

But those words have cut me deep,

Stole my joy and made me weep.

What comes first? Your name or your fame!

          Everyone loves his or her own name. And we are pleased when others take the trouble to remember our name.

                                                                 

           And likewise, one of the characteristics of a popular person is a talent to remember other people’s names.

          But when the name describes you, then everyone wants to have a ‘good’ name. His very reputation depends on it. Conversely nobody wants to have a ‘bad’ name.

          In our society usually names do not have any meaning. And so, especially kids, tend to give other kids a ‘nick name’. Though the kid on the receiving end may just ignore it, or pretend that it doesn’t affect him, in reality, these names cause unimaginable damage to his personality and self esteem.

   

ISRAEL AND NAME GIVING: When the Israelites gave a name to someone or something, these names had a meaning. The bearer of a name with a ‘good’ meaning was fortunate and looked upon favorably by others.

          But the bearer of a ‘bad’ name had a handicap. He or she would be looked down for the rest of their lives. And the saddest part was that this name was given to an infant who had done absolutely nothing to merit it.

          And this bad name would never be changed until God, in His infinite mercy and compassion, had to come down from heaven, and personally change it Himself, as He did with Jacob.

GOOD NAMES VERSES BAD NAMES:

GOOD NAMES: “A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.” (Prov. 22:1).

The Bible is full of names rich with meaning.

                                                               

          The name JESUS has a very rich meaning. ‘Jesus’ means: ‘God saves’.

          When Jesus walked the face of the earth there were many who were named ‘Jesus’. Even today in some countries, the name Jesus is a popular name among Christians. But it was very apt on our Lord because He, as God, came to save us.

Isaac means ‘he laughs’. So named because he was born when his parents were aged, and well passed the time of child bearing. (Gen.21:2-7).

                                            

Moses: ‘drawn out’ of the water (Exodus.2:10), also—‘peace’ (1Chronicle.22:9).

Names were even changed for the better by God.

                                                                  

                                                    

Abram meaning ‘exalted father’ was changed to Abraham: ‘father of many’ (Gen. 17:5, 6).

POWER OF BEING CALLED BY A ‘GOOD NAME.’

Gideon was no fighter and had no self confidence. His clan was the weakest in Manasseh and he was the least in his family. (Judges 6:15).

          But the angel addressed him, saying: “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.” This was the start. And after the Lord built up his confidence, with only three hundred men, he was able to defeat the Medianites, who far outnumbered him. (Judges chapter 7).

BAD NAMES:

One of the best examples is the name given to Isaac’s second son Jacob, which literally means ‘deceiver’. The first of the twins being Esau.

THE BIRTH OF JACOB & ESAU: (Gen. 32: 22-28).

          They were twins. Esau was born delivered first immediately followed by Jacob who had grasped Esau’s heel.

                                                           

r

          Wrong interpretation: “Jacob” means: he grasps the heel, figuratively, he deceives. If someone or something grabs your ankle while you are walking, you trip. So if someone causes you to trip or fall in your walk through life such a person is called a deceiver.

                                                            

                          

                                   

                           

          Correct Interpretation: Medically when we doctors want to examine new- born babies, we use ‘reflexes’, just like the knee and ankle jerks in adults. In babies, when their palm is tickled, they close their fist. This is the grasp reflex. So when Esau’s ankle touched Jacob’s palm, it set off the palmer reflex causing Jacob to grasp the ‘irritant’, giving him a stigma which would have stuck with him for the rest of his life hadn't God intervened.

FROM ‘JACOB’ TO ‘ISRAEL’:

                                                          

           Jacob wrestled with God the whole night and would take nothing less than a blessing. And God blessed him. No more would he be called ‘Jacob’, the deceiver, but would henceforth be called by his new name, a name that God gave him: ‘Israel’, meaning he struggles with God and man and survives. (Gen. 32: 22-28).

          Jacob, who had been born a ‘deceiver,’ now, rose to the level of the father of the Israelite nation.

(For a better understanding read the articles on: ‘Deceiver ‘Jacob cleared by ‘time-space’ and ‘pre-election’.)

GOD CAN AND WILL CHANGE YOUR NAME:

          The Lord calls us His people: “If my people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves……………”. (2 Chron. 7:14).

          And again: “He calls His own sheep by name and calls them out.” (Jh. 10:3).

          The biggest name change the Lord has done is to change our status from sinner to saint. (Please read: ‘we are saints – not sinners).

NAMES WE GIVE OUR CHILDREN.

            There are two ways we do this: 

                                                           

     

          The first ‘name giving’ is when we baptize them. There are beautiful Biblical names we can choose from. However there is a danger here too. I met a young lady in my clinic. She told me her name. I had heard it somewhere, but couldn't quite place it. She told me that it was from the Bible. Later, when I checked it up, I found to my dismay that it was the name of a prostitute.

                                                                            

        

                                         

                   The second is when we address our children. Use good and positive adjectives to do so, e.g. good kid, clever boy, smart lass, brilliant child, and so on.

           ‘Bad’ names we call our child: idiot, stupid, little devil, clumsy, arrogant, stubborn, duffer, looser and so forth.

NAMES IN NOVELS & MOVIES:

                               I have made a study and found out that the names given to the different characters give us some idea to their personalities. Tough guys are called Greg, Gus and so on.

                     Also, the names that are given are so chosen that we can remember them easily, because they describe the role played by the different characters.

ADAM NAMED THE ANIMALS:

             ‘Naming’ actually meant taking authority over. Did this have something to do with some animals/birds becoming non-vegetarians while others became vegetarians?

………………………………………….

Dear friend,

          I look forward to getting your feedback. Do write in to me at:

                                        drmervynabreo@gmail.com

………………………………………………………………….