"A good name is better than precious ointment, and the day of death than the day of birth."
I'm taking this verse literally when I say that a good name is better than precious ointment. Let me tell you why. In a movie, I heard someone say that your name is a superpower. I didn't exactly think that someone needed to be named Fire-breath or Laser-eyes to have those 'superpowers'.
No, I thought about that statement deeply and concluded that it wasn't a lie. Your name, one way or the other, affects your life. Everyone calls you by your name so imagine it like this; every time you're being called, the reality of your name is being somewhat prophesied into your destiny. Butterfly effect.
"The butterfly effect is the idea that small, seemingly trivial events may ultimately result in something with much larger consequences - in other words, they have non-linear impacts on very complex systems."
I believe that applies here. Your name matters. And the Bible confirms that.
Genesis 17:5
God changed Abram to Abraham because Abram means 'Exalted Father' and Abraham means 'Father of Many Nations'. While it's not bad to be an exalted father, God's will for Abraham's life was to bring nations and kings out of him. But because that name didn't align with it, God changed it.
Genesis 17:15
God changed Sarai to Sarah because Sarai means 'Princess' and Sarah means 'Mother of Nations'. Big difference there and while there's nothing wrong with being a princess, it didn't align with what God had in store for Sarah and after her name change, we now know her as the Mother Of Nations. Definitely an upgrade from being a princess, if you ask me.
1 Samuel 25:25
Introducing Nabal. He wasn't the brightest there was given that he disrespected David who had the capacity to destroy everything he owned and was drinking and partying like there was no tomorrow. Guess what his name means? Fool. It literally means fool. I'm not kidding, look it up. The meaning of his name evidently showed in his life because of how he behaved.
Never accept a name that goes against God's will for your life. If anyone calls you a demeaning name, straight up reject that for your life. You're not a loser so reject that name. You're not an idiot so reject that name. In fact, if you realize that the name you have means something bad, save up some money and once you're legally aged to do it, change that name.
If Abraham, the Father of Many Nations, could have a name change then so can you.
Prayer:
Dear heavenly father, thank you for the name I have. Help me to appreciate the wonderful things that my name connotes for my life. Help me to live up to my blessing. Both the one that my parents gave me in my name and the one You give by calling me Your child. In Jesus Name, Amen.