WHAT’S IN A NAME?

by Dr. Randy Tompkins

When I was Minister of Education at Memorial Baptist Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, I became friends with a fellow Minister of Education whose name was F. M. Byford.

Several months after our friendship began, the two families were having supper together. Marlene, my wife, asked a very simple question and the answer opened a great story to us. “What does the F. M. in your name stand for?” He replied, “F. M.” After he noticed our quizzical looks, he unfolded the story.

It seems his parents did not give names but just two initials. That, he said, is how it reads on his birth certificate. But, as Paul Harvey would say, “the rest of the story” is where the interesting part was uncovered.

It was in the 1960’s, and the war in Viet Nam was raging. Most young men had received a notice to report for a draft physical. When F. M. reported as requested, the first thing he was told to do was fill out the required papers. The first questions related to his name; he appropriately placed in the box for his first name, F, and in the box for the middle name, he placed M, and in the box for the family name, he placed Byford.

The young clerk informed F. M. that would not work. He had to place his entire and full name. F. M. tried to explain the situation and was ignored. After a moment of thought, an idea that seemed logical came to F. M.

In the three boxes he wrote F(only) M(only) Byford. His military papers that he received in the mail acknowledged that Fonly Monly Byford was now in the army.

The story in the paragraphs above is true. Names were not changed to protect anyone. But there is a greater truth behind the story. The name you carry with you is an important part of who you are.

Once in a while you need to take it out and examine it. Are you doing justice to your name? Are you proud of your name? How would you rate your name?

Luke, in Acts 11:26, simply states “The disciples were first called Christians at Antioch.” That name is a very important item. The disciples were being Christlike to the people of Antioch and the name was a natural and befitting title. We should wear it proudly and honorably.

In Christ’s Service,