Skip to main content

Dear Children

Dear children,
Someday people will most likely make comments about your names.  Those comments may occasionally be derogatory or confused ("Are you Amish?!"), but will typically be complimentary or benign.  "Oh, what a nice name!" they'll say.  

You're welcome.

Please don't think that this is unintentional. Your mother and I have made every effort to grant you names that attract attention, not because we want to be those hipsters who came up with the world's most original names, but because we want your names to mean something.  You see, your names are more than just words used to beckon or identify you.  They are opportunities to proclaim the Gospel to the world.  They are occasions of worship.  They are ideals we hope become realities in your life--not merely names, but epithets.

This emphasis on the importance of names by no means originated with me.  This idea pervades the Bible (as it did the cultures of the ancient world) and was handed down to me by my parents (your mother, I am sure, derived it from her parents as well).  From my earliest days I was told that I was given the name Josiah in hopes that I would be used of God, like King Josiah of old, to effect reforms in a backsliding nation.  The fact that random people think it is a lovely name is a happy coincidence.

Thanks, Mom and Dad.

Genesis Eve.
Galilee Christine.
Grace Alleluia.
Gabriel Lee.

I am speaking to each one of you individually.  Your name is your calling. You are marked by baptism, to be sure, but that is unfortunately easy to disregard.  After all, you didn't make the decision to get baptized anyway.  Your name, however, will follow you wherever you go.  If you choose to abandon the faith of your fathers, your name will bear witness against you.  Unless you change your name, you will never be able to escape the reminder that you were raised in the Christian faith. Whenever you meet new people or apply for a job, you'll be reminded of the faith of your parents. Every time you write your name on a government document or tell the, you'll see a reminder of the Word of God and its claim on your life.  I pray that such a reminder is unnecessary, and that, your name is a constant source of encouragement to you as you serve God and pursue His calling upon your life.

With paternal affection,
Dad
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

5 Reasons I Want my Wife to Start Wearing a Head Covering during Corporate Worship

    Of late, the issue of head coverings has come up in my circle.  Okay...my cousin and I have been discussing it, but the point is, the issue has been bouncing around my head for the past few days.  It is a topic that I have avoided for some time.  Every time I read through 1 Corinthians, I would tell myself, "We'll get around to that."  The reality is that I didn't want to be "that guy"...that guy who people view as a chauvinistic jerk who wants to make sure everyone--especially his wife--remembers that he's the head of his home.  I think I'm beginning to respect "that guy"--those men who have cared enough to stand for what they believe.     Let me be clear that I am referring to head coverings for women (those old enough to leave them on...)  DURING CORPORATE WORSHIP.  I am not advocating head coverings at all times.  Though I see nothing necessarily wrong that practice, I don't see any command for it either.   ...
15 comments
Read more

Paedocommunion: Consistent Covenantalism or Anti-Confessionalism?

    Being raised as a paedocommunionist (that means our kids get to eat Jesus, too), I have always been amazed by how passionately credocommunionists (that means their kids don't get to eat Jesus until they articulate a "credible" profession of faith) dislike the practice.  I would think that they could look at paedocommunion and at least respect it as an attempt to live out Covenant Theology in a consistent way.  Instead, paedocommunionists have been widely viewed as being on the fringe of the fringe (yes, that far) of Reformed Theology.  I like to think that I have been able to agree-to-disagree in an amicable way with my credocommunionist friends.  However, I will admit that being discounted as "unconfessional" (trust me, I've been called worse) has made many paedocommunionists (you'd have to ask my friends whether or not that applies to me) act in a manner that lacks Christian grace.     So, the question remains, is paedocommunion a view hel...
4 comments
Read more

Halftime Shows, Kid Rock, & Celebrity Conversions

Conversions are often for the sake of expedience.  Android users adopt Apple products.  Energy drink drinkers start drinking coffee.  Fair-weather fans join the bandwagon for whatever team seems to be building a dynasty.  People are always changing their allegiances when it is convenient to do so. Religious conversions are no exception.  Such a conversion is often costly, as Christians in places like Nigeria and Pakistan can attest, but it is just as often done for power, money, or respectability.  Christianity, especially the quaint, neo-conservative kind that opposes Commies, supports Israel, and produces alternative entertainment content, is kind of in right now, so it's fair to question celebrity conversions at this particular moment in American history. Much has been made of the fact that Kid Rock headlined a conservative, religious alternative to Bad Bunny's halftime show.  If you don't know, Kid Rock hasn't exactly spent his career creating fa...
Post a Comment
Read more