"What's In A Name?"

You remember Shakespeare's play "Romeo and Juliet" where the question was posed, "What's in a name? That which we call a 'rose' by any other name would smell just as sweet"?  There was a time when a person's name actually had a specific meaning.  For example, the name "Johnson" quite literally meant John's son.  Goldsmith meant you were a Gold Smith (worker of gold into coins or jewelry).  

We don't think too much about names anymore, but they still have meaning because the name is attributed to a person's reputation, personality, and actions.  When you hear the name John Wilkes Booth, what comes to mind?  What about the name Mother Teresa?  Names get a reaction from us when we know to whom they belong.

When I hear the name Claire Barlow my heart is warmed.  That name may not mean a thing to you, but she was my 3rd grade teacher who encouraged me write and read.  Because of her, I began to learn and the more I learned the more I wrote.  I had notebooks filled with journal entries and observations, thoughts and dreams. Page after page and all because that teacher took the time to encourage me.

Let me get to the point of today: 

"Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor

    and gave him the name above all other names,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord,

    to the glory of God the Father." 

Philippians 2:9-11

Did you catch the importance of this name?  Abba elevated Jesus to the place of HIGHEST HONOR.  Because of that, when the name of Jesus is named, all honor should be shown to include, but not be limited to, kneeling (a sign of submission and respect), and every tongue openly proclaim that Jesus IS Lord! And all of this brings glory to Abba!

What's in a name? Quite a lot when you think about it!