You know, some of you are old enough to remember a day when a person's name was far more

important than all the silver and the gold of the world.

There was a time when a person's name was far more valuable than all the money and the prestige that the world can offer.

There was a time when a person's name meant everything.

I was brought up to think this way.

It was drummed in my ears since I was a little boy.

Why?

Because I grew up in a Christian family, in a sea of non-Christians.

And the thought was this, that to dishonor, your name is to dishonor the name of Jesus. Because we carry

the name of Christ in the midst of unbelieving society. I know that even today, when you

mention someone's name, that name immediately automatically communicates either honor or dishonor.

Even now, when we mention someone's name, we immediately think either it represents total integrity or dishonesty.

I know even now, when we mention a name, it immediately

communicates what that person is all about. In fact, I want to do an exercise with you today.

If I mention the name Richard Nixon, what do you immediately think of? Trickering, right?

Immediately you think of someone who's scheming and maneuvering and conniving.

But if I mention the name Ronald Reagan, you immediately think of courage, integrity, right?

I mean, that is how we think of someone's name, how a name represents the person. Why is that? Because a person's

name becomes who that person is. We often say what's in a name. Well, everything is in a name.

It really is. I remember years ago, and I'm talking about years ago, I was counseling with a young couple who were trying to name their newborn son.

And Mama wants to name the boy Timothy, and the father said, over my dead body.

And I thought named Timothy was wonderful. I couldn't understand what's wrong with it.

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