“A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, loving favor rather than silver and gold. The rich and the poor have this in common, the Lord is the maker of them all.” Proverbs 22:1-2
Names distinguish us from other people; they can define us; and they can hurt us. As humans, we not only have a personal name, we name everything thereby categorizing the world around us. Bullies use names to intimidate and humiliate. We are categorized by the area in which we live. Northerners call people in the South 'rednecks' or 'hillbillies'. We automatically refer to them as 'Yankees'. We even name our church doctrine such as Free Will Baptist, The Baptist, 'Southern Baptist', Missionary Baptist, Church of Christ, Methodists, Presbyterians, etc. Names define us, but they also separate us. Shakespeare once observed, ““What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”
When Moses faced God on Mount Horeb, he asked for a name. “When I come to the children of Israel and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they say to me, 'What is His name?' what shall I say to them?” And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” (Exodus 3:13-14).
Earthly names do not matter much to the Creator. God does not see as man sees, but He sees the heart. He doesn't really care about denominations, or ancestry. What matters is that we know His Son, Jesus Christ. The question remains, however, how will we be known in heaven? How will we know all those who have gone before whom we have never seen? When Jesus was transfigured before Peter, James and John, they knew Jesus was talking to Elijah and Moses. How? They recognized their spirit - their heart. We have never seen Jesus with our human eyes, but He knows His children. We see with our hearts. “I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own” (John 10:14).
In the end, it doesn't matter what you're name is, where you're from, who were you're ancestors, or what name is over the door of your church; what matters is that you know Jesus and He knows you. What truly matters is your heart.
How will you be known?