By Danny Minton

Have you ever walked through a cemetery and read the markers? I do this each time I preside over a funeral at the gravesite. Markers will vary from cemetery to cemetery, with the most interesting found in small-town cemeteries or the older sections of established ones. I read the names and dates that represented their lives. Sometimes, one will cause me to stop and wonder about the life of the person whose name I’m reading, especially those names whose life seemed to end prematurely.

I wonder what their lives were like. What kind of person walked this earth with the name given to them at birth? How were they remembered by those they left behind? When someone mentioned their name, did the memories awaken from their minds, leaving good thoughts or bad? Were people sad they were gone or relieved they were no longer around? 

Thinking about this, I am reminded of how we use names in many ways. As my thoughts wandered, I came up with a list of well-known people in our lives. Almost everyone has heard of them and refers to them occasionally, depending on the circumstance. Here’s my list and how they are known. 

Most Progressive – Joneses – People are always trying to keep up with the Joneses.
Most Overworked – Juan Valdez – For those who remember, he is the one who handpicks all the coffee beans for our morning brew.
Most Traveled – Kilroy – Everywhere you go in the world, you see, “Kilroy was here.”
Most Popular – Frank – Everyone tells us, “Let’s be Frank.”
Worst handyman- Jerry Rig – He’s known to JerryRig things to get them to work.
Most Victimized – Peter & Most Blessed –Paul – People are always robbing Peter to pay Paul
Most Knowledgeable – John Q. Public – Everyone wants to know what John Q. Public thinks.
Most Forgiving – Ollie – Ollie, Ollie Oxen Free It’s safe to come out in hide and seek.
Most Plagiarized – John Hancock – We are always told to sign with our John Hancock.
Most Blamed (Apologies to people I know) – Karen – A person who comes across as self-centered is now called a “Karen.”

Okay, this may be a little whimsical, but I listed them to ask some questions. When people say your name, and you are not around, what reference do they put with it? How are you known to others? How do you “come across” to both friend and foe?

Would your name be synonymous with being the:

Worst Complainer – They are always finding something wrong.
Biggest Liar – You can’t believe a word they say.
Loudest know-it-all-all – They are always bragging about themselves.
Most Helpful – They are always there for people
Greatest Friend – They will never abandon you

Believe it or not, people label us by how we talk and act. Admit it. We all do this in some way or another. Even if we don’t say it out loud, we evaluate someone and who they are by their words or actions. So again, how do you believe people respond when your name comes up in a conversation? 

What comes to mind when I mention names such as George Washington, Hitler, Charles Manson, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Edison, Mother Teresa, Billy Graham, Queen Elizabeth, Joe Biden, or Donald Trump? We already have opinions on these men and women based on what we have seen or know about them.

In ancient Hebrew, the proper name of God was so precious that men would not even speak it. When written, it is often either printed without the vowels (YHWH), making it unpronounceable, or, in most cases, replaced with the term Adoni (the LORD). The Israelites were warned not to misuse God’s name when He gave Moses the commandments at Mt. Sinai. God is good, and whenever we use His name, we should do so with proper respect.

A person’s name and the life associated with it is the first impression of what people have of an individual. So now, when people say your name, what do they add to describe who you are? If it’s unfavorable, it’s never too late to change how people view you. 

“A good name is to be more desired than great wealth, Favor is better than silver and gold.”  Proverbs 22:1 (NASB)

Danny Minton is a former Elder and minister at Southern Hills Church of Christ