What's in a name? With Jesus, it's everything

When my wife and I were married, like most newlywed couples we received some gifts to celebrate our new marriage and help us get a start out in life. Before anything was unwrapped, without knowing what was inside the package, we could tell if the gifts were from my family, our friends or her family.

I've never changed my name, but I've changed what I've been called. Growing up, I had a family name that was great for Grandma to call me but not necessarily what I wanted to be known as in college. Someone forgot to tell my family. So there were gifts adorned with my wife's name and the name I was called when I was 2 years old sitting right next to the gifts with my new username.

You also have to understand that most my wife's extended family is from Arkansas. And in her Arkansas family, you don't have one name, but two. So if the tag read both our first and middle names, we immediately knew who it was from. This simply, seemingly innocent name tag shared more than the direction of the gift; it shared the relational history that had been both recently and over a lifetime.

This Christmas, gifts will be exchanged and most of them will have some sort of name tag on them. The name that is spoken not only gives the gift direction but expresses a great love from the one who is giving the gift.

In the story of Jesus' birth we meet Joseph. He was terrified, angry, wanting justice and to do the right thing, which are not always the same. He has just found his betrothed pregnant and the child does not bear his name.

In the midst of his perplexed frame of mind, as he wonders what to do, he is given a message. "Don't be afraid. The child will be named Jesus. He will save his people from their sins. He is a gift of love."

The name changed everything. Yes, the feelings of fear were there. Yes, all the cultural complexities were still there. No, this would not be easy. Yet what calmed Joseph's heart was not a five-point plan of assurance but the name.

The name Jesus says everything about who he is, all that he has done and what he means to us. What's in a name? When it comes to the name of Jesus, everything.

Rob Hurtgen is a husband, father, minister and writer. Read more from him at www.robhurtgen.wordpress.com.