Soon and very soon, Sue and I are to
have a grandchild.
Rumor is the child will have a name. We
have no idea what the name will be, although lots of folks who came to the baby
shower last weekend had some great suggestions: Charlie Farley, Harley Farley, Knarly Farley. Or my favorite Duke Diesel Farley.
Brian and Rachel have said they want to wait and see the baby before they name
him. This will be a shock! Babies right out of the womb are u-g-l-y! So his name will be “Crying, pooping, urping, little Farley person”.
At some point Brian and Rachel will
bring the child for baptism and when we baptize a child one of the things we
ask parents in addition to “Who is your Lord and Savior?” and “Do you intend
to raise this child in the faith”, and “Do you want this child to be baptized?”
is, “What is the Christian name of this child”?
In some traditions a child is given an
additional name at this point. In others, their name is finally revealed. Some
are even given a name by the community of faith.
So, what is your “Christian” name? Not
the one on the birth certificate!
No, the name that reflects who you are
in Christ, not who your parents called you but by what name God knows you.
And what is the name that people who
know you well, know your faith, know what you value as a child of God would
call you, if they could give you a name you could “grow” into?
Perhaps “Faith”, because you are a
person who in all situation of life see God’s handiwork in all your adventures
and in the adventures of others.
Or “Rock” because in situations where
other get frightened, you hold fast to the faith and to all the things that
really matter.
Or “Patience” because you are the one who
sees the big picture and are willing to hang on to see what God is going to do.
Or “Reggie”…
Because “Joy” is a another female name. So guys can be “Reggie-ous”!
Some of you have met our sister
“Jubilant” who delights in praise, Sheila Moore! Or our brother “steadfast”, Mike Coklinb who is a bit old
fashioned, and a bit odd, but steady in his faith.
A couple of years ago I took one of
those personality tests that are sometimes used in corporate and leadership
settings to help individuals understand themselves and can help others in the
group understand who in the room with them that has unique gifts.
Knowing those gifts, talents, abilities can
really make a difference when a group is trying to get a project done. Who in
the room is a “closer”, the one who make sure the final details are attended
too.
Who is a “thinker” that will put
together the reasons for change and deal with the arguments against change.
Who is the “apostle” that will take the
group well out of their comfort zone to do something brand new?
Who is the “comforter” who will help the
group get glued together and deal with the inevitable fractures in
relationship.
The five themes of leadership the test
identified in me, didn't really result in a name for me, but maybe you can figure one out from this and share it with me!
·
Adaptability – I see
something new and then I make changes necessary to get it to work. Direct mail
doesn’t work, move to Facebook, then to Instagram, then to mailchimp, then to a
church app
·
Maximizer – I
love to take limited resources and use the heck out of them. I am not
interested in slowing down or saying we can’t do that. Why are we a church if
we are not going to be the church? Open the doors, tear down the walls, let the
world see that Jesus is alive and well in the hearts and lives of his people
right here in downtown Otisville! Let do and be the kingdom!
·
Intellection – I think
it through and help folks open their brains as well as their hearts to do God’s
work here and now in our community. And not just here but around the world.
Send a kid to camp in Mt. Hope! Cool! Let’s send a kid to camp in Namibia too. (And
somebody please get that box of school supplies to Rachel!) Make the kingdom
bigger, because God has chosen us to be his hands, feet and heart in this
world. Us! Us! Us!
·
Arranger – “Get
‘er done!” Make plans, do them, evaluate them, and then make changes so we can
do things better! And always be ready to hand out more brushes (A la Tom
Sawyer) so the fence gets painted, and the neighbor’s fence too. Who here would
be willing to go and paint the fence of a neighbor in need. So, why aren’t we?
If Dominoes or whoever, can fill Pot holes in streets and then put their logo
on them, why can’t we. Paint a fence, give the neighbors a tie dyed church
t-shirt and tell them, “God loves you and so do we. Have an amazing day!”
·
And Positivity –
yeah we live in a world that sometimes sucks! We as individuals, as
communities, as a country, and as a world do things that harm others, make
their lives harder, accuse each other of base motives and generally drag the
whole conversation down. But as followers of Jesus, we don’t have to be those
people, we don’t have to follow that lead, we can be the people of love, grace,
mercy, and joy, and faced with hurts and misery and fear, be jubilant; knowing
that the King of Kings and Lord of Lords has sent us to bring a very different
narrative, one not of shortage and loss, but of abundance and amazing life.
Filled with the Spirit, and willing and able to sell
off some land in order to help take of the saints in Jerusalem in need, Joseph,
a Levite, a member of the priestly family of Israel from the island of Cyprus
in the Mediterranean, was given the new name of Bar-nabus, meaning the son of
encouragement, because in Christ he was and was to be, a man after God’s own
heart inviting others to step up and follow God’s call on their lives to be all
that God desired.
His name was Joseph! But they called him
Barnabus.
What is your name in Christ?
Amen.
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