“Lord, listen! Lord, forgive! Lord, hear and act! For our sake, my God, do not delay, because your city and your people bear Your name.” Daniel 9:19

Daniel is seeking God’s forgiveness and mercy because God’s people had greatly sinned. He prays with urgency and reminds God that those people are His people. They bear His name.

We sometimes think that our actions only affect us. We believe the lie that we can do whatever we want because it’s our own lives. We are big boys or big girls. We want to be independent and make our own choices. We think that our sin is our sin–our problem.  But that couldn’t be further from the truth. As Christians, we need to remember that we bear Christ’s name. Our actions don’t just reflect us, they reflect Him.

“A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.” Proverbs 22:1

Each year, I tell my students how important their names are. I tell them that a name is so much more than a name. They each have a reputation that goes along with their name. That it is so important that they have a “good name!” I ask them questions, like:

What do people think of when they see your name?

Do they see a student who is a hard worker?

Do they see someone who is honest and kind?

Trustworthy? Responsible? Helpful?

And it goes beyond that. My students also represent ME as their teacher. They bear my name. When we go places, like PE, our class has a reputation. Are other teachers and staff excited to see Mrs. Stewart’s class when they encounter them? I remind my students that even when they go out into the community they are representing more than just themselves or our class. They represent our school.

 

We represent our families. As a wife, I bear my husband’s name. When I married him, my name changed. I went from being Rachel Wyllie to Rachel Stewart. But it’s even more than that. My actions can very much reflect him too. One example is his job. He is a police officer. So as the wife of a police officer, I have to be careful to obey the laws because I don’t want my poor judgment to affect his reputation in a negative way.

Ultimately, as Christians, we must remember that in whatever we say and do, we represent Christ. We bear His name. We must take that call very seriously and live our lives in such a way to bring Him glory.

May others see our names and see His beauty reflected in us. May others speak well of Christ by the way we bear His name.

So what about you? What do people think of when they see your name?

Your name is more than just a name! 

“A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.” Proverbs 22:1

”Lord, help me remember that my name is much more than just a name. I represent my husband and family. I represent my church and school. And most importantly, I represent YOU! Help me bear Your name well by the words I say and the way I live my life. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.”