There is almost nothing as important as the naming of a thing. Some cultures even practise naming ceremonies to give the act due respect because there is an essence in naming that determines whether the thing is good or evil, whether it shall succeed or fail and how others should behave towards it. There are many instances in scripture where men and women were named anew to fit their prophetic destiny and to leave behind what they had previously known or been known as. Unfortunately your name does not always determine what you are called but what you are called attracts a reputation if you take it to heart.

What’s in a name?

Is it just me? Or is literature a horrendously frustrating subject. I still haven’t quite grasped whose notion it was that this is a subject necessary to grade our intelligence and readiness to proceed to the next academic level based on our interpretations or lack thereof. To boot, I don’t know how Romeo and Juliet’s tragic love affair, that I learnt about so long ago, is ever going to contribute to my monthly expenses. (LOL, that moment when you’re a tad emotional about that literature exam you knew you should have passed but didn’t because you probably answered a question, but not the question that was being asked…zvinoda kusangana nemuvhunzo).

“’Tis but thy name that is my enemy; thou art thyself, though not a Montague. What’s Montague?; “…what’s in a name ? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet”

Juliet has fallen in love with young man called Romeo, a Montague, thus presenting a serious problem between the families who are sworn to enmity. In the soliloquy, she questions the significance of his name in relation to the substance of his person. She wonders why true love should be thwarted by such an apparently insignificant thing as a name, because truly their love is not defined by their names but by the connection between them.

The danger of a poisoned perspective

Many roses are invisible today because they do not perceive their true beauty. It could be that in their formative years poisonous words were thrown around by careless sowers and took root in the poor roses’ hearts. At the time she should have been blooming she began to think of herself as they had called her, a withered corpse no better than a mound of rubbish.

This hurt her deeply but she did not let it show, instead when she spoke her lips moved but only tears came out, and though she could not see it the rest of us could. She wondered why those who draw near as if to pick her never get to the picking. It seems they begin the process and get fed-up somewhere between admiring her petals and being pricked by her many thorns.

The moral of the story eligible ladies and gentlemen, is that it is possible for you to have everything that you need to get the next level but you fail to do so because of things that may have been said about you or names that you may have been called growing up which are still polluting your judgement. They may have called you “kaya kekuipa”, “riya rekupusa” or “chiya chekufuta” but please understand that even though we make mistakes God does not.

He is meticulous in the putting together of His masterpieces, He knows which brush strokes to use to get His desired effect. If people have taken it upon themselves to label you do not allow yourself to be defined by their label, you are defined by what your Bible says about you. You are made in His image, flawless and authorised for dominion. When we were little they taught us to sing “Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so, Little ones to Him belong, they are week but He is strong….Yes Jesus loves me, Yes Jesus loves me, Jesus loves me the Bible tells me so”.

In our humanity we will always be little ones who are weak submitting to He who is strong. Because he loves you never underestimate the power of telling on. When hindrances come knocking, rush to your Father and tell on them. He always has just the right belt to whip things back in shape for your good. Affirm yourself with His word, put on your full armour and see how many Golliaths successfully mess with you after that.

We are sitting on powerful annointings people, because we are too lazy to learn our true strength. Our problems keep piling because we are too spoilt to get our hands dirty and we are stuck listening to the wrong motivational speech. Motivated to feel sorry for ourselves and repeat our history for the enemy’s entertainment. Sometimes NO is the best YES for your life, say No to junk.

 

Sharon Rateiwa is a lover of art with a natural flair for the artistic.  When she isn’t sharing inspirational pieces with the world, she designs and performs as a singer and poet.  Sharon believes that we of God’s generation have a mandate to take up Godly arms in the fight for a meaningful existence.  She gives encouragement by sharing her own colourful encounters.