I decided that I would Google (AKA, internet search) “my”
name to see how famous I was, or wasn’t. The search surprised me when I saw
19,100 possibilities of “me!” As I scrolled through the various titles with
“my” name, I was alarmed…at first. One of the first “my” name postings was a
library rapist. Oh, no! Then, I saw the obituary title and thought, “am I
dead?” I scrolled and started to feel a bit of relief. “My” name was an artist,
a professional hockey player, a director of a frontier ranch and so on. “My”
name has some quality to it and I became proud again to wear “my” name.
What’s in a name? I’m going to throw some names at you. In a word, what is the first thing you think about?:
Dr Martin Luther King, Jr.
What’s in a name? I’m going to throw some names at you. In a word, what is the first thing you think about?:
Dr Martin Luther King, Jr.
Daniel Boone
Marilyn Monroe
Michael Jackson
President Obama
Carrie Underwood
Donald Trump
Many times, we can only associate a persons name with their career, what we’ve heard on the news, or what we have heard from other people. I have never met, Dr. King, President Obama, or Carrie Underwood. My impressions are made through media, not through a personal relationship.
First impressions are important, too. We also call it, reputation. Sure, there are times I have blown my reputation to smithereens. I have had folks asked me, “I thought you were a preacher?” Or, “Didn’t you say you were Christian?” In those moments, I just wanted to crawl in a hole and hide.
God never asked us to be perfect. However, He did tell about us the importance of being seekers of righteousness (Matthew 6:33). God never told us to be a “holier than thou” kind of person. But, He did tell us to be humble (James 4:10). God never told us to judge others. However, He did say that our judgment of others would be rewarded in the same way we judge (Matthew 7:2).
Googling myself on the Internet was interesting! Much of what I read about “myself” had nothing to do with me; however, because of the shared name, there is somewhat of a connection.
Not only do I have “my” birth name, I also have my spiritual name. In Acts 2:44; the folks who accepted the message of the Apostles were called believers. Their reputation in the community was astoundingly positive. Whenever someone learns about our believer in Jesus status, what would be the first impression of us? There are many believers who didn’t always betray the best of the believer’s lifestyle. In a word, what would be the first word you think about these believers:
Marilyn Monroe
Michael Jackson
President Obama
Carrie Underwood
Donald Trump
Many times, we can only associate a persons name with their career, what we’ve heard on the news, or what we have heard from other people. I have never met, Dr. King, President Obama, or Carrie Underwood. My impressions are made through media, not through a personal relationship.
First impressions are important, too. We also call it, reputation. Sure, there are times I have blown my reputation to smithereens. I have had folks asked me, “I thought you were a preacher?” Or, “Didn’t you say you were Christian?” In those moments, I just wanted to crawl in a hole and hide.
God never asked us to be perfect. However, He did tell about us the importance of being seekers of righteousness (Matthew 6:33). God never told us to be a “holier than thou” kind of person. But, He did tell us to be humble (James 4:10). God never told us to judge others. However, He did say that our judgment of others would be rewarded in the same way we judge (Matthew 7:2).
Googling myself on the Internet was interesting! Much of what I read about “myself” had nothing to do with me; however, because of the shared name, there is somewhat of a connection.
Not only do I have “my” birth name, I also have my spiritual name. In Acts 2:44; the folks who accepted the message of the Apostles were called believers. Their reputation in the community was astoundingly positive. Whenever someone learns about our believer in Jesus status, what would be the first impression of us? There are many believers who didn’t always betray the best of the believer’s lifestyle. In a word, what would be the first word you think about these believers:
The Apostle Peter
The Apostle Judas
Zacchaeus
The Apostle Thomas
The Samarian Woman at the well
Jesus
With the exception of Jesus, every believer listed above had
struggles that diminished their reputation as believers. However, none of them with the exception of
Judas stayed stuck in their negative reputation and overcame to become a
powerful testimony for the cause of Christ.
The spiritual birth name is important and must not be taken
lightly. Keep in mind that others are
watching to see how we respond to adversity, temptations or honesty. If someone were able to Google your name,
what would they discover spiritually?
The world changes for the better when Jesus believers live
honorably. When history is revealed, what
will be written about each of us who call themselves believers in Jesus?
Remember, Be God Controlled!
Brian
Remember, Be God Controlled!
Brian
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