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What's
In A Name?
In
1958, a New York City father named Robert Lane decided
to call his baby son “Winner.”
The Lanes, who lived in a housing project in Harlem,
already had several children, each with a fairly
typical name. But, Robert Lane apparently had a
special feeling about this boy. Winner
Lane: How could he fail with a name like that?
Three
years later, the Lanes had another baby boy, their
seventh and last child.
For reasons that no one can quite pin down today,
Robert decided to name this boy “Loser.”
Robert wasn't unhappy about the new baby; he just
seemed to get a kick out of the name. First a Winner,
now a Loser.
But if Winner Lane could hardly be expected to fail,
could Loser Lane possibly succeed?
Loser
Lane did in fact succeed. He went to prep school on a
scholarship, graduated from Lafayette College in
Pennsylvania, and joined the New York Police
Department, where he made detective and, eventually,
sergeant. Although he never hid his name, many people
were uncomfortable using it. To his police colleagues
today, he is known as “Lou.”
As
for his brother, the most noteworthy achievement of
Winner Lane, now in his late 40s, is the sheer length
of his criminal record: more than 30 arrests for
burglary, domestic violence, trespassing, resisting
arrest, and other mayhem. *
Names
can reveal one’s character and even shape it.
Names can provide a goal for which a person may
strive to achieve.
Or, one can fail to live up to a name that he
has been given.
What’s
in a name? There
is conviction in a name that we all wear due to our
wrong choices: sinner.
“For ALL have sinned and fall short of the
glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
What’s
in a name? There
is SALVATION
in the Name of JESUS. "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is
no other name under heaven given among men by which we
must be saved" (Acts 4:12).
Jesus
died on the cross to save us from our sins
(Matthew 1:21). When
we respond in trusting obedience believing
in Him (Acts 16:30-31), turning from our sins
in repentance
(2 Corinthians 7:9-10), confessing
His name before men (Romans 10:9-10), and being baptized
(immersed) in His name, Jesus gives us a new name: CHRISTIAN.
Wearing
the name “Christian” indicates that we have
been forgiven of our sins and it also gives us a goal
for which to strive: Christ-likeness.
God has promised that as a Christian walks in
the light of His Word, that He will continue to
cleanse that one of his sins (1 John 1:7).
What’s
YOUR name?
Labels can hurt; titles can reward.
But the name above
every name is JESUS and He wants to be your Savior so that He can give you
a
NEW name, a name filled with glory and honor as well
as responsibility, the name “Christian.”
Won’t
YOU become a Christian
today?
–
Connor McLean** and
David
A. Sargent, Minister
Church
of Christ at Creekwood
1901
Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama 36695
* From Freakonomics
by Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner
**
Connor McLean is a member of the Creekwood Church of
Christ and a graduating senior – and Valedictorian
– of Mobile Christian School.
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