Put Some Respek On His Name

“Blood, sweat and respect. First two you give, last one you earn.” ~ Dwayne Johnson

My children are both very strong-willed and opinionated. My son Caleb is a born leader who thrives within the boundaries of rules and logic. He takes his role as big brother quite seriously and is the self-appointed corrector of our household. He can be argumentative at times and has a deep need to understand the why behind rules so that he can follow and enforce them passionately. To say that we sometimes butt heads is an understatement. This little human not only looks like me physically, but he is also the male version of my very essence. A few months ago he joined a local soccer academy which he loves and we love for him. In his first few weeks of being a part of this weekend activity, his father noticed his aversion to trying new drills and his frustration when he would try and fail. Hearing this broke my heart. Did he have to take on everything about me? I wished at that moment that there was a way to edit all our weaknesses before we had children. As I prayed about what to do with this new information about my five-year-old son, I asked God, “Lord, was I that way at his age?” I know I have struggled with the fear of failure but I honestly don’t remember it keeping me from trying new things at his age. I am yet to have a conversation with my mother about it. What the Lord led me to do and continue to do is to remind Caleb that he can do all things through Christ who strengthens him. I tell Him about the power he has inside of Him because of the name of Jesus. I also tell him that failing and falling play a crucial role in life, that he is incapable of disappointing God, and that no matter what happens, Mommy and Daddy are proud of him. It has helped. He is slowly adjusting as these powerful truths take root in his little but growing heart. I pray that even though this “challenge” has presented much earlier than it did in my own life, Caleb will kick it to the curb much earlier than I ever did.

The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe. ~ Proverbs 18:10 (ESV)

Because of that obedience, God exalted him and multiplied his greatness! He has now been given the greatest of all names! The authority of the name of Jesus causes every knee to bow in reverence! Everything and everyone will one day submit to this name—in the heavenly realm, in the earthly realm, and in the demonic realm. And every tongue will proclaim in every language: “Jesus Christ is Lord Yahweh,” bringing glory and honour to God, his Father! ~ Philippians 2:9-11 (TPT)

I’ve heard it said that respect is earned, not given and I believe this statement. As we interact with one another it’s easy to see how apparent the demand for respect is. While we can respect one another as humans, it’s difficult to respect people who live a lifestyle of dishonour. Jesus lived a sinless life and conducted Himself in a manner worthy of respect. Furthermore, God has honoured Him with the name that is above every other name. If that doesn’t warrant respect then I don’t know what does. But how do we respect the Lord? Respect is so connected to our culture that it can sometimes be relative. While each of us may be led differently in how we show God honour and respect in our private time with Him, I have a few practical ways we can consistently show respect to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Understand that the name of Jesus is not personal to the holder

I always tease Chiara and Caleb because when they refer to one another they have absolute ownership. “My brother…,” Chiara will say about Caleb and vice versa. Our friends with a brother or a sister. I noticed a similar trend in the Avatar movies with Neytiri referring to Jake as “her Jake.” Knowing that our loved ones are dear and hold a special place in our lives and no one else’s, is part of our human existence. A special part of God’s design mirroring how He feels about us. In that case, Chiara calling Caleb “her brother,” instead of Caleb is only rational. Unfortunately, sometimes we apply that rationale to our relationship with Jesus and his relationship with others. He is my Jesus, my Lord, my Saviour and my friend, AND, He is the same to many others. When we act as though the name of Jesus belongs only to us, to demonstrate power only in our lives, to minister only to our needs or to speak only over our homes, we do not honour God. The name of Jesus was given to the Church to use as each member operates on the earth. So yes, use the name of the Lord in your life, home and sphere of influence, but don’t get self-righteous when you see others doing the same and getting results you are envious of. His name is Power! It is not so small that it can fit in your hand alone.

Pray for unbelievers

The name of Jesus was exalted above any other name because of the obedience of Christ. This obedience was to the will of the Father for Him to come, live, die and rise again for the remission of our sins. If we respect the name of Jesus and the work for which He received this honour, we will pray with a sense of urgency for unbelievers. We will pray for unbelievers in our lives and unbelievers at large. This practice, yes, I said practice because it ought to be one, is not only in line with the will of God, but it also reminds us of what a miracle our salvation is. Respect and honour the name of the Lord Jesus by honouring His finished work on the cross.

Pray for the sick

The name of the Lord is power! Power to heal and make whole those who would dare to place their faith in Him. Do you believe it? If you do, you will pray for the sick! You will pray for the sick with boldness as one who knows that it is not their feeble name on the line, but the name of the King of kings and Lord of Lords! There is power in the name of Jesus and we are so blessed to get to carry that name and that power wherever we go. Why would we dishonour the one who died to make this possible by not freely speaking it over those whose bodies need His power? I implore you to respect and honour the name of the Lord Jesus by faithfully praying for any sick you come into contact with.

Love people as Jesus does

A name is not just a name, it is a reputation. A name speaks of the character of the one who is named. It isn’t any different with the name of Jesus. His name speaks to His reputation and His character, and because He chose to give His name to His Church, we carry that name and are custodians of His reputation and His character. When Jesus said we are to love one another and by this, the world will know that we belong to Him, He meant it. God is love. Love isn’t something that God does well, it is who He is. If we respect the name of Jesus and all it carries, His power, His reputation and His character, we will take this commandment to love more seriously. Jesus loves us so perfectly that He gave us the ultimate gift. Perfect love casts out fear. As we endeavour to honour and revere the name of the Lord, let us endeavour to love people so much that it casts any fear they may have within them. Let us love them so much that they experience the kindness of God through us, causing them to repent and come to the saving knowledge of our Lord the Christ.

Partner with Christ

I esteem certain people in my life so much that I rarely do certain things without their knowledge and sometimes approval. As adults, we sometimes want autonomy so much so that we forget that there is safety in many counsellors. More than regarding our parents, mentors, spouses, elder siblings or friends by involving them in our decision-making, if we regard God, we will not do anything without Him. The name of the Lord is a strong tower, the righteous run in and they are saved. Do you esteem that safety? Do you believe that the Holy Spirit is the wisest counsellor you could ever have? If we want to show our respect for the name of the Lord, we will honour Him as our confidant and counsellor. We will not go ahead of Him. We will not make decisions without seeking His opinion in prayer. We will not make a single move without Him.

Put some respek on the name of Jesus! Put some respect on His name by understanding that as He is your Father and friend, He remains God of the universe, Saviour of all mankind. Put some respect on His name by interceding for those who have not yet placed their faith in His name and those who need His power to heal their broken bodies. Put some respect on His name by loving Him and loving others well, purposing to stay in step with the Holy Spirit and follow His lead. As you do, I pray that you continue to experience God in new and exciting ways.