Recently I attended a memorial service honoring a man who meant a lot to my husband and me. Allen was the dad of a college friend, Hunter. He and his wife, Janis, welcomed Chad and me in their home countless times as a young married couple. Their warm hospitality and easy conversation gave us a safe place to rest and develop beautiful memories.
As I listened to the pastor and many family members recount favorite stories of Allen, a few of my own came to mind. Allen and Janis lived in a home on the Intracoastal Waterway in Hampstead, NC. “Big Al” loved this home. He referred to it as his resort.
One significant memory that came to mind is he called the yard on the street side of the house the “backyard” and the yard on the water side the “front yard”.
Al was an avid outdoorsman. While he loved to hunt, fish, travel, ski, and swim, I think his favorite place on earth was his “front porch”, sitting on a rocker and enjoying the view of the water. I recall my confusion when I first heard him refer to this as the front porch, as it seemed backward to me. But, it also struck me that this simple assignment of titles revealed the significant value of this special place in his heart. He didn’t conform to what was conventional. To him, the majestic view of the waterway deserved the more honorary title.
I think Al was an incredibly wise man and his example has stirred my thoughts. What are other things that we can rename, simply because we want to? Simply because we can? Perhaps it’s a name or label we’ve carried for too long. Weak. Limited. A burden. Not enough. Incapable. Unchosen. Perhaps we, too, can simply choose a more honorary, more accurate title?
The apostle John explained, “To all who did receive (Jesus), to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.” You see, the truth is that Jesus has already renamed us. His loving sacrifice offers us the more honorary, more accurate title as His. No matter our past, no matter our struggles or regrets, no matter how others have treated us. Jesus has claimed us as His own and bought us for the highest price because He loved and loves us that much.
I guess the rest is up to us. Do we accept His title for us or settle for whatever conventional, albeit inaccurate, one that fights for our identity? Me? I’m feeling pretty inspired by Big Al’s bold example. :)
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