SpongeBob SquarePants
Somehow, I was penned with the nickname, SpongeBob Pastor Pants this past summer by my church. I don't even remember how this came to be, but it stuck.
Names can mean a lot. For instance, think of the amount of time that goes into naming an unborn baby.
My ACTUAL name means "Grace." If you have been with me in the early morning hours of the day, or while I am bowling, you know I frequently do not live up to my name. But don't we all get a kick out of looking up the definition of our name and then analyzing whether we live up to it or not?
There are other names I have been called besides SpongeBob Pastor Pants! Some should not be repeated or even spelled in front of anyone over the age of 2; others were often devised because of my kinky red hair I had growing up. Yes, I specifically chose to use the word kinky in the above sentence because even THAT lead to jokes and as you might guess, name calling.
Most of the time, the names were funny. But sometimes, the names we are called are not funny. We are sometimes called a name because the name caller wants to put someone down so they feel good about themselves. Or, we call someone a name to feel good about our own self. "Giving" someone a name can be a real power trip when it includes words like "Bitch", "Ass", "Jerk", "Slob," "Slut", etc., etc. Really, the list can go on and on.
And too often, these words are exchanged between people who should be "giving" each other the name, "honey," "cutie", "beautiful", "kiddo", "sweetie", etc. Parents call their children names and what happens is their children live up to that name. Wives call husbands names and the husband becomes resentful but feels too proud to bring it up. Husbands call wives names, but feel scared to say it hurts.
So TODAY decide not to call anyone a name EXCEPT what you would like to see them become. Make the decision that name calling, when used as a power trip, is no longer part of your relationship, whether its your child(ren), spouse, boy/girlfriend, dog, cat, pet snake, or your next door neighbor. You might be surprised at what a difference it can make. And if you have called someone an undeserving name, tell them you're sorry.
Life is hard enough. May our relationships be places of peace, understanding, and love. Not name calling.
And may you live up to all YOUR name and our loving God calls you to be!
Shalom!
Pastor Annette
Names can mean a lot. For instance, think of the amount of time that goes into naming an unborn baby.
My ACTUAL name means "Grace." If you have been with me in the early morning hours of the day, or while I am bowling, you know I frequently do not live up to my name. But don't we all get a kick out of looking up the definition of our name and then analyzing whether we live up to it or not?
There are other names I have been called besides SpongeBob Pastor Pants! Some should not be repeated or even spelled in front of anyone over the age of 2; others were often devised because of my kinky red hair I had growing up. Yes, I specifically chose to use the word kinky in the above sentence because even THAT lead to jokes and as you might guess, name calling.
Most of the time, the names were funny. But sometimes, the names we are called are not funny. We are sometimes called a name because the name caller wants to put someone down so they feel good about themselves. Or, we call someone a name to feel good about our own self. "Giving" someone a name can be a real power trip when it includes words like "Bitch", "Ass", "Jerk", "Slob," "Slut", etc., etc. Really, the list can go on and on.
And too often, these words are exchanged between people who should be "giving" each other the name, "honey," "cutie", "beautiful", "kiddo", "sweetie", etc. Parents call their children names and what happens is their children live up to that name. Wives call husbands names and the husband becomes resentful but feels too proud to bring it up. Husbands call wives names, but feel scared to say it hurts.
So TODAY decide not to call anyone a name EXCEPT what you would like to see them become. Make the decision that name calling, when used as a power trip, is no longer part of your relationship, whether its your child(ren), spouse, boy/girlfriend, dog, cat, pet snake, or your next door neighbor. You might be surprised at what a difference it can make. And if you have called someone an undeserving name, tell them you're sorry.
Life is hard enough. May our relationships be places of peace, understanding, and love. Not name calling.
And may you live up to all YOUR name and our loving God calls you to be!
Shalom!
Pastor Annette
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