So, all of us have names — THAT is not new “news” LOL! — but has anyone out there NOT named their child for … two whole days??

OK, here is the explanation for that strange sentence. 🙂 When our daughter was born, both my husband and I felt really strongly about which NAME she should have. I have always loved the “look” of the letter “K” written on paper — isn’t it so much prettier than a “C,” sigh, LOL! — while Darin has always loved the name “Hailey” as that was the name of the flower girl at our wedding. And so, we hit a Decision Dilemma!! (And a bit of hospital “drama”!) 🙂 But really and truly we could not come to a compromise until Day 2, when I allowed the “empirical evidence” that HE had picked the name “Hailey” long before I ever brought up the letter “K” thing.

And so, where am I going with this story (besides to share that we are both a bit more stubborn than you might have ever thought)? 🙂

Well, how about right into Proverbs, Chapter 22 and that very first verse that says,

“A good NAME is more desirable than great riches, to be esteemed better than silver or gold.”

So, yeah, I can see why a name can mean a lot to all of us. It feels like a reflection of “WHAT” we are. But “WHAT” kinda name WE might aspire to and the one GOD calls us to, well, just might not be the SAME.

Let me explain.

The way I read how to get that “good name” all comes from taking a big step of  HUMILITY (verse 4). But not just “humility” for everyone or everything, but before our GOD and KING (verse 4). Yeah, it’s pretty clear that the KEY to gaining great “honor” is learning how to HONOR GOD. 

And how do we DO that? By honoring what HE says is “RIGHT.” (Oh no, are we going to talk about that again??) 🙂

Oh my, and you bet! Because HE brought it up as a repeat-teach, so it must be His thing (verse 28). 🙂

I know I have been told I have a reputation in this small town as being a “solid GOD-Girl.” But do you think I woke up one day and said, “Starting today, I really want people to SAY that about me??”

Well, no, not at all.

THAT “good name reputation” came only because of what I call the “PRIDE FALL” (verse 3).

Yeah, it truly all began when I realized I have two choices: to keep doing life MY WAY or take different routes (verse 5) and start doing it HIS WAY. Even when — no, wait, ESPECIALLY when I FELT differently. Because in those stubborn areas, I was like a “spiritual child,” much, much, MUCH more “happy” to follow my Folly (verse 15). But just like any good FATHER, GOD was NOT gonna let me keep messing up ME. Nope and no way! He had a LOT to say about that and, well, the layers of “consistent correcting care” were about to begin.

But also, very much also, began the choices I had to pick within:

Do I choose to DO something that I may not even SEE I need (verse 3)?

Or do I choose to DO something NEW that I READ I need (verse 6)?

Hmmm…. And like our daughter Hailey with HER DAD, I had to decide which factor would MOTIVATE me to make the “correct” choice: love for my “father” or a “fear” of His follow-through??

And let me tell you, NOW I follow GOD’s Word because I know HE LOVES ME SO.

But way back when and at the front end, especially in the areas I was “BLIND or STUCK in,” it was straight up the fear-factor that HE WOULD FOLLOW THROUGH ON WHAT HE SAYS HE WILL DO that got me motivated to CHOOSE to try something new.

Yes! It was a solid season of super HEALTHY FEAR of the LORD that forced my heart to push aside its PRIDE and choose the things I DID NOT WANT TO DO — because I knew, oh so knew, God WOULD follow through IF I continued to choose to keep on doing what I was doing.

But I get it. THIS is not an “easy or fun” picture of our Heavenly Father. But it’s like our daughter has learned how much she’s “worth” to her Dad on Earth through the fact that when she chooses what is “good,” he responds as he said he would (rewards and blessings). But when she chooses “bad,” well, he will still follow through on that too — with the GOAL to guide her onto the path she was refusing to choose (verse 5). And he will do that over and over again, until she gets the fact that HIS ways are the BEST REFUGE (verse 3).

And just as that CONSISTENT CARE works for a young child (verse 6), it works on the BIG ONES too. 😉

It’s so true! How embracing healthy fear that GOD will FOLLOW THROUGH on whatever He says He will do breaks down the push-of-PRIDE and builds up inside a truly humble heart. And THAT is the start of any “honorable name” we can gain, ‘cause that healthy fear will draw us near and begin to build TRUST to follow His ways.

SO …

Godly fear of HIS FOLLOW-THROUGH = Put aside pride and “what I want to do” = embrace humility and allows me to see a new choice in front of me = following GOD even when I can’t see what the end will be = building trust in HIS ways over time = confidence in HIM and who I am = me free to be the woman HE calls me to be = ability to fully grow with HIM inside of me = mind, soul and heart shift to SEE other people’s needs = capacity to impact other people = gaining a “God name” reputation which equals (best of all!!) GODLY-GLORY!!

BUT not for me — it’s all for HIM.

And I wonder, are you ready to begin?

Where would you say YOU need a name change? Where is YOUR tough and stuck place? Where could you put on a humble face? And how might that shift in you bring about a shine for HIM?

Happy Name-Changing — today!! 

Carol 😉