Few matters are more consequential to a man than his name, for a name has importance, a name has association, a name has meaning.
The name of Caesar means power.
The name of Herod means cruelty.
The name of Alexander means conquest.
The name of Luther means reform.
The name of Edwards means intellect.
The name of Edison means genius.
The name of Churchill means eloquence.
And the name of Christ means love.
Love is the greatest of all attributes, the foremost of all virtues, the king of all characteristics. No wonder then that the name of Christ is the name that is most praised in heaven and on earth. No wonder then that the name of the Savior is the most exulted by men and angels. No wonder then that the name of Jesus is the name that is above all names, before all names, and beyond all names. No wonder, then, that his name is the sweetest name of all.
We hear it from our parents when we are still in the cradle, then tell it to our parents as they draw their final breaths. We profess his name in Baptism, read his name in Scripture, sing his name in worship, and proclaim his name in our lives. That name stirs our emotions, motivates our love, and satisfies our souls. It is for that name that men have given their hearts, given their lives, given their very selves.
For while we are able to live without power and genius, and while we long to live without cruelty and conquest, we cannot live without love. We may honor the man whose name represents intellect and admire the man whose name represents eloquence, but we worship the one whose name means love. For the best of these, the greatest of these, and the most needful of these is love.
Inspired in part by the works of De Witt Talmage
