What's In A Name

While many people look forward to summer for vacations, camping trips, and barbecues, for me and a group of men, it is also softball season. I have played for the same softball team since 1988. Thousands of people from all around my imagination have been coming out to watch my team play. Some of the news stories that have circulated on the internet have stated that my softball team has consistently outdrew some of the major league teams. I am a legend in my own mind.
While the players have changed, the one thing that has remained consistent with the team is the name. Which is where I want to begin with my little story. Many years ago there was a coaches only meeting with the league director. He wanted to play our games on a different night than Tuesdays. He asked if there would be any problems with changing to Wednesday nights. I raised my hand and responded that it wouldn't be feasible for my team. He naturally asked why it wouldn't work and I answered that my team had some Pastors and youth workers on it and that I wouldn't be able to field a team. He followed up with the most logical question, “What is the name of your team?” At which point I answered, “We're the Outlaws.”
While the name of the team does not portray who we are, there is one name that does portray who he is. His name means, “The Lord Saves”. Thus, it is only through his name that we are saved, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12 NIV) That name is Jesus Christ.
As followers of Christ, we take on a completely new name also. That name means, “Christ-like” and is the most common name given to all believers: Christian.
Our attitude and our thinking must become like Christ. “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5 NIV). One attitude that Jesus had was one of humility. Humility is not a bad word, it is tied to serving others. Humility is treating people better than yourself, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” (Philippians 2:3,4 NIV). Treating other people better than ourselves, and looking at the interest of others should become second nature to a Christian.
While my teams name may conjure up cowboys in bandanas, we are from from it. Just like the name Christian may conjure up self centered, self seeking people, we are to be far from it. We need to see how Christ looked at the world. He looked at it with so much love and humility that He died so that everyone who comes to him may live in eternity with the Father in Heaven.