IDENTITY-Who I Am-Series

One day I asked my mother where she got my name from? She kinda snickered and said, "from a cat".  She explained how a lady who lived up the street from her, had a cat named Lucretia. She thought it was beautiful and decided to give me that name. Although she found beauty in the name, the people around me did not. In middle school the mis-pronunciation of my name became the dagger in which other students used to tease me. I was called everything from Lu-creda to lu-creature. I thought to myself, why couldn't she have named me LaShaun or Patrice, Karen or even Monica? Of all the names in the world to choose from- she picked Lucretia - the name of a cat (really?).

The average person today puts little to no thought into the name they give their child. Most choose a name based on cuteness, while others prefer the namesake of a relative or Biblical character.  Babies names are often chosen after cars, alcoholic drinks, states, countries, jewels and even seasons.  People have been known to close their eyes, flip through a baby name book and wherever their finger lands, that will be the name of the child.

Could it be that simple or that random? Is there something significant or important in a name, that we are unaware of?

The first time we see the act of name giving  performed on earth is in Genesis 1:3-5. Here God gives "light" the name "day" and "darkness"  the name "night". Any time we hear/see the word "day" we understand it's meaning to be "light". Whenever we hear /see the word "night",we automatically associate it with "darkness".  God took this matter of name giving so serious that He brought the animals in the garden of Eden to Adam, in order to see what he would call them (Genesis 2:19).  And whatever he called them that was their name.

Why was it so important that Adam named the animals? Naming the creatures was a demonstration of the authority and dominion he had over them. I believe, that naming them not only identified who they were but what their purpose in the garden was. When you are able to give something a name it signifies the power you have over how the thing named, perceives itself.  And like Adam did then, we are still naming people, places and things today.

Everything has a name.  A name is an identification card used to describe who you are. Identity is very  important.  When a person thinks or calls your name they don't see a bunch of letters that spell your name. They form images in their mind of your face, your stature, the sound of your voice and things about you that describe you. I know, it's complex how the mind works  but very interesting.

If we did not have a name -we would be a "thing". Much like the characters, "Thing 1 and 2" in Dr. Seuss's -Cat in the Hat. A "thing" can be described as an object that one need not, cannot, or does not wish to give a specific name to (google definition). God however, wanted everything to have an identity, especially mankind!

Most of the confusion, frustration and defeat operating in people's lives today is from the lack of IDENTITY. Either how we see yourselves or what we are identifying ourselves by. We have been given a name in which God identifies us and next week we are going to explore a little deeper into this topic of identity. This is one of several messages in the series I am compiling entitled-"Who I Am". 

Be sure to join me next week in this exciting teaching and be sure to invite a friend.

Daily Declaration -I AM A CHILD OF GODHe came to that which belonged to Him [to His own--His domain, creation, things, world], and they who were His own did not receive Him and did not welcome Him.  But to as many as did receive and welcome Him, He gave the authority (power, privilege,right) to become the children of God, that is, to those who believe in (adhere to, trust in, and rely on) His name--    John 1:11-12 (Amplified Bible)