I’ve walked through gardens where the owners named every plant, and I’ve walked through woods with persons who could name the wildflowers and identify the trees. I’ve read books on flowers classified with phylum, genus, and species. The naming indicates an ownership that escapes those who can only point to plants and say, “I wonder what those are.”
One difference between wildflowers and “tame” flowers is the name. Garden plots are dotted with empty seed packets impaled on sticks that let us know exactly what to expect, but there are no signs in the woods where it’s difficult to know a cinquefoil from a yellow-flowered wild strawberry.
By naming us, God has “tamed” us. God has made us God’s own and has given us a mission. This mission corresponds to our personal God-giving name. Do you know God’s name for you? Do you know your mission? To find out, you might begin with these steps:
- Think of your favorite Scripture passages. Is there a common theme among them?
- Reflect on your unique talents and spiritual gifts.
- Who is Jesus for you? In other words, who is “my Jesus”?
- As you begin to decide upon your name and your personal mission, look back over your life to see whether the name and mission may fit you consistently.
