In one of the most beloved excerpts of all poetry, Shakespeare’s Juliet, while exploring the tension between her love for Romeo and the forbidding family/societal rift that exists between the Montagues (Romeo) and Capulets (Juliet), utters these infamous words: “What’s in a name?” As it pertains to humanity, this is one of the foundational questions to the human condition and personal identity, one which has spurred lively debate and conversation for centuries between (and certainly within) men and women of all kinds: philosophers, politicians, college kids like this one, parents, psychologists, young lovers, sociologists, teens, educators, and even children to a certain degree, amongst others. While one might be inclined to think that the inherent value in a simple human name should be, well, nominal; history has proven exactly the opposite… Names are of utmost importance to the human race, not only of our own accord and choice, but because such a value in names has been deemed worthy by our Lord Almighty in the Scriptures (see Ecclesiastes 7:1a, and Proverbs 22:1).
The simple truth is that the names we ascribe to ourselves (and/or accept from the attributions of others) are directly representative of who we perceive ourselves to be. Like it or not, names are indicative of our identity – that which characterizes our existence as a unique being… Naturally, it would follow that those particular names that we adopt and internalize for ourselves are integral to our growth and sustenance as persons and children of Christ! In short, to have a name is not a small matter in the least…
In chapel last week we were blessed with the ministry of Kary Oberbrunner, a man and pastor in his 30’s, who has been the subject of endless ridicule and satire over the years because of his first name... Children who lacked discernment in his earlier years felt justified in tearing his identity to shreds, attributing feminine characteristics to a guy who simply desired to grow into a Godly role as a young man. Kary admitted that these biting comments seeped deeply into his being, and in part contributed to his subsequent, periodic cutting of himself in order to express his hatred for the perception that others had of him, and which he thereafter held of himself…
At a such an anguish-provoking point as this, a natural question to ask would be “So who exactly am I (or you, or Kary), in light of the names and characteristics which are cast on us from others in hatred and cynicism?…” If we were honest, I think that most of us would concede that the identities pushed on us by so many in society do at times seem to outweigh that still Voice inside that affirms who we truly are… Thus, we need to ask, “God, if you are the Source of all Truth, then what exactly is Your view of me, and do You have an affirmation for me which stands strong in the midst of the pain and sorrow I feel in my surrounding world of hatred?”
The answer to these essential questions of identity and self is this: Absolutely! God does indeed have a response, an Almighty rebuke of these evil forces of self-deprication, and He does claim a specific name and identity for each of us. It is an identity which is expounded upon all throughout Scripture, as well as Christian music and literature… Let’s consider how one gifted author conceptualized God’s view of our name, and how that can transform our life’s outlook forever.
Author Henri Nouwen wrote a classic account of God’s view of our role and identity in relation to Him, in his potent and succinct book, “Life of the Beloved.”
The premise of the work is the idea that transcending all earthly thoughts and assertions, God declares, irrevocably, that we are his Beloved! We are the treasure and crown of His creation, and He wants us to know that He has chosen us, blessed us, will purge us of our selfish pride and ambitions, and prepare us to be given to the world as an extension of Him…
Some of the opening words from Nouwen are as follows. He addresses his friend Fred, who desired a relevant word from Nouwen on who we are in relation to God:
“Fred, all I want to say to you is ‘You are the Beloved,’ and all I hope is that you can hear these words as spoken to you with all the tenderness and force that love can hold. My only desire is to make these words reverberate in every corner of your being – ‘You are the Beloved.’” (Nouwen, 26).
Recent years and months have seen several moving songs by Christian artists come on the scene, which testify to this truth of us being, at our deepest level, the Beloved and cherished of God. A portion of the lyrics from the Casting Crowns song, “Who am I,” are as follows:
“Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth
Would care to know my name?… Would care to feel my hurt?
… I am… here today and gone tomorrow, a wave tossed in the ocean,
A vapor in the wind… Still You hear me when I’m calling,
Lord You catch me when I’m falling… And You’ve told me who I am…
I am Yours!”
For just a moment, look closer at this word which Nouwen spoke of as characterizing us, “Beloved.” One can clearly see in those latter five letters (Loved), that at the root and foundation of this sentiment from our Lord is an incredible and indescribable love! How great is the Love of Christ for us? Let me allow you to observe what a couple excerpts from two of the most beautiful hymns of the church (The Love of God, and How Deep the Father’s Love For Us) illustrate, in merely trying to scratch the surface of God’s Love:
“Could we with ink the ocean fill
And were the skies of parchment made…
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade…
To write the Love of God above
Would drain the ocean dry!
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
Though stretched from sky to sky!”
And the second song:
“How deep the Father’s Love for us,
How vast beyond all measure!
That He should give His only Son,
To make a wretch His treasure!
… Behold the Man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders.
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice
Call out among the scoffers.
It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished!
His dying breath has brought me life,
I know that it is finished.
I will not boast in anything,
No gifts, no power, no wisdom.
But I will boast in Jesus Christ,
His death and resurrection!
Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer!
But this I know will all my heart –
His wounds have paid my ransom!”
I cannot think of more profound means of song to provide evidence for our identity, true identity, as Beloved children of Christ, inescapably surrounded by his miraculous Love and grace! What a beautiful truth! We are His!
While books by talented authors and thinkers, as well as inspirational songs by artists from around the world might provide further evidence of God’s characterizing Love for us, ultimately it must be to Scripture that we look in order to prove and corroborate these claims that our identity and name is found in Christ, as His Beloved! Consider Romans 8:35, and 38-39:
“35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?... 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
The verdict is in, and the truth is final – our names and identities are only truly understood in light of the nature of God’s unfailing (and inseparable) Love for us! Any other attributes provided by our environment or culture are utterly false, and this should come as a great source of joy for those who have struggled with questions of name and identity for long stretches of time.
We are His Beloved, people, and I just wonder what the transformation would look like in the Church if we would simply realize and rest in the truth of “How He Loves” us. If you would like, go ahead and watch this music video by David Crowder, which aptly sums up what has been said here - Bask in his redemptive Presence and declare victoriously “Oh How He Loves us!”
Live as His Beloved today. To do otherwise would be to sell short who you truly are in Him. :]
-- Lance
