“Say,” Papa
Purple said, “Aren't you Harold's dad? Boy, can that kid eat
pizza. Wait a minute, I thought you were in jail? Did you escape?”
“No.” Bill said looking back down at his glass of water. “Does
that mean your wife found enough money for your bail?” “Actually,”
Bill said, “Martha talked to the judge and the judge said I really
didn’t need any bail and let me go.”
“So, how's Harold
and Stella doing?” Papa Purple asked, “I think they were why you
ended up in jail to start with, wasn't it? “They're doing fine.”
Bill responded staring at his glass. “Doc said they could come
home, and they have even been acting themselves again.” “Hmpf.”
Papa purple said, “You are out of jail, your kids are finally well,
and you don’t seem happy. Is there something wrong?”
“Do you know
anybody who can help us change our name and move to another planet?”
Bill asked. “What are you talking about?” Papa Purple exclaimed,
“Why would you want to do that?” “Because of Stella’s
escape,” Bill said, “Over half the town now has the dreaded
Peterson disease. That's right, the Peterson disease. They named it
after us. I’ll never be able to face anybody again.”
“It can't be that
bad, can it?” Papa Purple asked. “It's worse than that.” Bill
started to explain. “Because of the spread of the disease, the
whole town has been quarantined, and with nobody able to work the
whole town will be ruined, and it’s all going to be blamed on the
Peterson’s, and... and... and... If I don’t change my name soon,
they’re going to cover me with tar and feathers. The Peterson name
has been ruined.”
“Are you sure of
that?” Papa Purple asked. “Positive.” Bill said. “Well, why
don't you wait and see.” Papa purple said trying to encourage Bill.
“Maybe something good will come out of all this.” “You really
think so?” Bill asked. “Of course.” Papa Purple said,
“Remember when Harold got shot and how it stopped the rebellion?
You never know what God can do with an awful situation.”
“I suppose you’re
right.” Bill said as he picked up his water glass and finally
drank it. “I... I.... I better get back to valley forge and round
up the troops.” “What did you say?” Papa Purple asked
wondering if he had heard right. “I need to get back to valley
forge and round up the troops.” Bill said. “The Revolutionary
war is going on right now.” and then he got up and left. “Oh,
no.” Papa Purple said, “Now Bill has the disease. I need to warn
someone.”
This is the
account of Terah. Terah became the father of Abram, Nahor and
Haran. And Haran became the father of Lot. Genesis 11:27 (NIV)
I once heard of a
man who wanted to be rich and famous so he changed his name to “Rich
And Famous” Abram was born and he received his name from someone,
likely his father. While Abram is a very important man, we know him
better by a different name for his name was also changed, changed by
God.
When Abram was
ninety-nine years old the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, "I
am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless, that I may make my
covenant between me and you, and may multiply you greatly." Then
Abram fell on his face. And God said to him, "Behold, my
covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of
nations. No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name
shall be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of
nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make you
into nations, and kings shall come from you. And I will establish my
covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout
their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and
to your offspring after you. And I will give to you and to your
offspring after you the land of your sojournings, all the land of
Canaan, for an everlasting possession, and I will be their God."
And God said to Abraham, "As for you, you shall keep my
covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their
generations. This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me
and you and your offspring after you: Every male among you shall be
circumcised. You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins,
and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and you. … And
God said to Abraham, "As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call
her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. I will bless her, and
moreover, I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she
shall become nations; kings of peoples shall come from her."
Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed and said to himself, "Shall
a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Shall Sarah, who
is ninety years old, bear a child?" And Abraham said to God, "Oh
that Ishmael might live before you!" God said, "No, but
Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name
Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting
covenant for his offspring after him. ...
Genesis
17:1-27 (ESV)
Could you imagine
being in Abram's place? Can you imagine being 99 years old and
having your name changed? Names are important. They were then and
they are now or at least they should be.
In John chapter 3
John mentions two people by name, one with a good name and the other
not so good.
-
Demetrius has received a good testimony from everyone, and from the truth itself. We also add our testimony, and you know that our testimony is true. - 3 John 1:12 (ESV)
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I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority. - 3 John 1:9 (ESV)
Here's what Solomon
had to say about a good name.
-
Proverbs 22:1 A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold. (ESV)
-
Ecclesiastes 7:1 A good name is better than precious ointment, and the day of death than the day of birth. (ESV)
Think about the
people around you and what kind of name they have. When you here
their name do you think “That's a great person.” or “That
person's worthless.”? An what do other think of when they hear your
name?
Here's Something
To Ponder
-
What kind of name do you have?
-
What are you willing to do to have a good name?
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