In a world where we can be either referred to or categorised by a countless number of names and labels –whether this be your actual name, profession, or even your nationality – it is important how we answer or respond to the names given to us that truly represent who we are as individuals.

Q uite often, a name can also be given to an individual according to another person’s perception of them. Whether the names given are positive (e.g. “intelligent”, “fun”, “beautiful”..) or negative (e.g. “ugly”, “fat”, “dumb”..), it is important that we only acknowledge those names that not only represent who we are but will also benefit us in the long term. Words carry a certain degree of ‘weight’ to them – they create pictures and feelings  that can seriously alter one’s personal identity. So much so that the Bible even goes on to state that “a man’s stomach shall be satisfied from the fruit of his mouth; From the produce of his lips he shall be filled. Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit. (Proverbs 18:20-21) “. You will have to live with the consequence of everything you say. What you say can preserve life or destroy it; so you must accept the consequence of your words” So for that reason, we all ought to be very selective with the words that we not only answer to but also  with the words that come out of our mouths, with which we speak over ourselves, other people and our circumstances.

Musical Influence

The music & entertainment industries contribute to the way in which we casually use words. Whether this be the prevalent use of the “N word”, artists referring to themselves as “Gangsters” or “Hustlers” or demonstrating a constant referral to females with the use of derogatory words,  the constant misuse of names in much of today’s music  is even more evident now than it was in the past.

Let’s face it, the more we expose ourselves to such music, the more we begin to impersonate and justify the characters attached to these negative names and labels. “Show me your friends and I’ll tell you who you are” - such a phrase can also be rephrased to say “show me the type of music you listen to and I’ll tell you what kind of a person you are”. You wouldn’t usually waste minutes or hours listening to someone if, to some extent, you didn’t agree with what they were saying and what they represented would you? The same is true with music.

“Calling all ambassadors of Christ...”

Developing a sincere relationship with our Heavenly Father allows to you to understand how God sees the real you and the names by which He calls you (e.g. Redeemed, Beloved, Forgiven, Rich..). It is also important that you stay true to what God says about you. As a matter of fact, any name that is given to you that’s contrary to the Word of God quite frankly comes from the kingdom of darkness. With Satan being ever so cunning in his approach to deceiving many out of the will of God, we find that the world is always trying to re-define what already has been defined by God – in hope that we too might forget who we truly are.

To conclude...

Let’s all continue to make a conscious effort to becoming more and more like Jesus Christ! If you are finding it hard to let go of negative words spoken over you in the past, then begin to seek comfort in how God sees you – who you truly are. Struggling with committing to your full-time Christian walk? Then maybe it’s time to give up some of the music you listen to and begin listening to music that is positive and is in line with God’s Word.

Michelle Wright