Real Names

 Year 8-Day 263: Today, I am grateful for real names.

Names are important in most cultures. They have been important since the beginning of time. 

Your name connects you to your ancestors and your modern day family. Surnames grew out of a way to connect the youngers and the elders. Some cultures would literally use John and John the Younger. Then it became a thing when you made John's son into Johnson. Every down had blacksmiths, so Smith became popular, too. 

Like Smith, some surnames were tied to trades. A name could evoke warm feelings when associated with people of integrity, or it could cause anther to question someone's character if the family had a poor reputation for good work or honesty. A name is important. 

My youngest son, Walker, used to check name book from our church library on a regular basis. He loved looking at the names and what then meant. He found the book interesting because it listed the country of origin, too. 

I like names that are uncommon, but not strange. I want strangers to be able to read a name and pronounce it. We spent weeks coming up with names for our children because a name is a first impression. Surnames make great first names. 

I prefer my full name. In fact, when I left home after high school, I only introduced myself as Valerie. And... even in high school, I never said my name was Val. "Erie" would have been an interesting nickname. I've only known of one other Erie in my lifetime. I guess I like full names...  real names. 

Celebrities find some anonymity and build star power  by creating just the right stage name. John Wayne's real name was Marion Morrison. His stage name certainly fit his swagger and strut better than Marion. Growing up, friends and family called him Duke. I imagine for him, living in the world of the rich and famous, it felt good to be somewhere he was just  "Duke". Even though it was a "nickname", it felt more like his real name. Real names make us feel at home. 

I saw this image today and it struck me as truth. It has to do with real names.

"I sat with my anger long enough, until she told me her real name was grief." Wow! Read it again and pause to take it in. Our feelings are sometimes misnamed. Anger is a secondary emotion. Another emotion has to proceed it. Is that emotion fear, anger, disappointment, frustration, confusion... or grief? It can be all of the above, but when it is grief, it is a tough row to hoe. 

I am reminded of Jesus turning the tables in the outer court of the temple in anger because they had turned God's house into a "den of thieves". Three of the four gospels record this, so we had better pay attention.

"He said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves!” -Matthew 22:13, Mark 11:17 & Luke 19:46

 It is one of the few places we see Jesus display real anger in the scriptures. He usually brought peace and calm to any situation. The misuse of His Father's House was unacceptable. His initial response was probably sadness and hurt for the way people were acting in the temple. He was ready to die for them, but they disrespected the Father's house. 

The people had lost the understanding of what it meant to enter into a truly holy place. They saw profit margins not sacred sacrifice. They were missing the point. It broke His heart. It still breaks his heart when we don't answer His call. He wants us to be read when he calls us by name. 

What is our real name? I like how Matthew West says it best, "Hello, my name is Child of the One True King". 

Today, I am grateful for real names.