Tuesday, January 15, 2008

What's in a Name?

So, I've finished Genesis, and one of the things I love about Genesis is the recounting of the genealogies of various figures. I love the passages where a child is born and named. I love reading, "and they named him _____ because he was born _____". I love it because there's a reason for the name. For some, it describes the circumstances of the conception or birth, for others it describes the hopes that the mother had at the time of the birth. Either way, the name is chosen for a reason. I think that has fascinated me lately because I've been thinking on my own name. My parents chose my name partially for the meaning. Takara is Japanese for "treasure; precious object". I don't know if that's because they thought I was precious or because they treasured me or because they hoped I would remember that I was important to them or what, but I know that I have that name for a reason. Essentially, it means that someone thinks of me as precious, someone treasures me...I've had a hard time with that lately, though. I haven't felt precious or treasured. I've felt cast aside and kicked around. I've felt broken and faded, unimportant and worthless. I just keep praying that God will show me that there is something to my name. I pray that He will show me that I am treasured, loved, cared for...and that He will whisper my value in my ear...that He will speak to my heart so I can believe that I am "as advertised"...not because I deserve to be treasured, but that I'm precious to Him anyway...I just keep praying that He'll whisper it to me while I dream so I can wake up and feel worthwhile. I keep praying I'll wake up and feel like a Takara...that I'll be able to live up to my name...I'd hate to be reported to the Better Business Bureau for false advertising....or would my parents have to face the charge, since technically they're the one who slapped the label on me? Something to think about...

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