Name Calling

I don't do negative name calling in my home.  I Believe that to call someone something is either a blessing or a curse depending on how you identify them, and in many cases children become a version of what you call them. When I named my children I considered their names carefully so that each time that I would call them I would be declaring something good about them.  No one that I know of in their right mind likes being called out of their name (being called something that they don't prefer).  Neither does anyone that I know of in their right mind want to be called the bad things that they have done or experienced.  I believe that it is necessary call out events (recognize the truth of situations) and behaviors both positive and negative (recognize the choices that are being made) so that we can grow and/or celebrate, but it is never our job to call out people (make a conclusion concerning their worth). I would even venture to say  that this includes ourselves and our GOD.  

People are more than what we could ever know because we exist with limited understanding.  Let's give each other, ourselves, and God room to be different than what we expected or hoped for, and when we talk about identity, let's speak life.  After all scripture says that blessing and cursing should not come out of the same mouth.  I choose to call others and myself according to the blessings and grace of God. 

  Many people now don't even remember having or using a phone book, but it was similar to the contacts in a cell phone.  It was a book that had the phone numbers of everyone in the region who didn't request to be unlisted.  Every house would get one every year or so with their newspaper.  When you needed to call someone but didn't have their number you would look them up in the phone book. In order to find the proper number you had the know the person's first and last name (or their parents' ) and possibly their middle name too. If you wanted to call them, you had to at least know their name. When we don't bother with names it may mean that we don't plan on continuing the relationship beyond where it is. There are at least fifteen names of God recorded in scripture, and if we are going to call on God then we should learn his full name otherwise we might end up calling the wrong number. Proverbs 18:10 says, "The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe."

As I studied and recorded the different names of God from the Hebrew, I was encouraged because each name told me a little bit more about the character and intent of my creator and LORD. This was not by accident. There is so much that I still need to learn about God the father, son, and Holy Spirit.  One thing that I do know about God is that when I call him he answers in kind.  If I call him my healer, he answers with healing. If I call him my peace, he give me a peace that I can't even explain.  If I call him my shepherd, he leads me to green pastures and still waters.  When I call him father, he treats me like his baby girl.  My faith dictates what I am bold enough to call God and he responds to my faith with power, love, and wisdom in portion.  

Sometimes I have called God the wrong name or not at all for fear of getting it wrong.  In these moments my fear or pride called out to God rather than my faith.  I have asked God to be a provider when really I needed a healer.  I have asked God for healing when I really needed peace.  In those moments God has been gracious and given me what I needed in spite of my incorrect assessment of my situations.  It reminds me of every time that someone has said my name wrong.  I would answer "Do you mean Christiana?"  I've had teachers call me the wrong name every day for entire school years.  It made me wonder, "don't you know or care who I am by now?"  Thank God for Holy Spirit who prays on my behalf when I don't know how to call on God the right way. (see Romans 8:26) When I don't know what name to call, God shows me that he is my ever present help. (see Psalm 46:1)   

If there is one thing that I am learning through this study and my home life, it is that what and who we call ourselves, others, and God matters. One scripture says that God even has a secret name for each of us that only he knows. Some people live up to their names and others ignore them but the truth remains.  Hopes, dreams, memories, and /or expectations are in every name.  When we call on God, what are our hopes, dreams, memories, expectations?  Call on the Lord and he will answer you.  Romans 10:13 says that anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.  If you weren't aware there is a name higher than any other name in the earth and that name is Jesus.  There have been times when I hurt so bad or was so scared all I could do was call his name.  Thank God he heard me and answered my call. Get to know this name.  If you never learn any other name get to know Jesus.  

Phillipians 2:9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.