Naming

We look at name meanings in scripture to tell us just alittle more about people we often don't know anything else about. Endless geneologies - fathers, sons, sometimes mothers and daughters. Sometimes all we have is a name. Why are they even there if they're just names? Maybe they were "nobodies," like most of us. Were they important just because they were someone's father or mother, someone's son or daughter or because they were part of Jesus' human lineage? Were they important because God was keeping His promise to Abraham to multiply his descendants? Whatever the reason, they're important enough to be included in the holy scriptures.

I thought about all the names listed between Cain and Abel and Seth. I thought about Seth naming his son and Adam naming every living creature. We take it for granted, but it's a priviledge to be given opportunity to name brand new lives created by someone else. God could have named them all Himself but He didn't. We don't know why. What would we risk to let our children name the things we create - not their creations, but ours? Interesting that God would take that risk.

I wonder if naming things was important enough for children to pretend naming the things they played with and the things they found.

Different cultures have different naming customs but names and identity always seem closely tied together. How do we name children in our culture?
-How many names do we reject for a child because a name belongs to someone we know - someone we don't want a child to model or someone we do want a child to model.
-Maybe we don't want a child to spend his or her whole life trying to live up to someone else's reputation.
-Maybe knowing his/her namesake gives a child confidence to aspire to be like someone they love and respect.
-Maybe we pick a unique name because we want that child to grow up to be an individual - to make a name for him/herself, his/her own name - or because we don't want them to live under someone else's shadow.

Do I give my name meaning through my own behavior? Or does my name shape who I am? Probably a little of both.

If you're a teacher, how significant is someone's name, even before you meet them and work with them? In a community of people, whether we like it or not, our name often precedes us. Our family name still tells people who we are. It's tough to change the reputation associated with a name. Teachers can help.

In scripture a father was an important part of someone's identity. Jesus - Son of God. We have been called children of God. An amazing thing. To give someone your name through adoption or marriage was significant. It still is. Interesting that God gave us His name as His children and also as the Bride of Christ.

We didn't name God. God already had His name. God's name was so significant that the Hebrews weren't even allowed to say it. In our own culture we've chosen not to practice that tradition. I wonder why.

Jesus was the son of and we are the children of one whose name can't be spoken ...

If we were to look at names as inconsequential, that would be significant, too. As I was writing, my daughter mentioned friends fostering puppies and how not naming them keeps you from getting too attached. Once you name them, you get attached.