Perhaps, had Juliet known how her tragic story would end,
she might have understood just how significant of impact a name can have, and
the star-crossed lovers of literary legend might not have died in each other’s
arms.
Act II, Scene II of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, finds the young Juliet
bemoaning her lover’s unfortunate last name: Montague. The problem not
arising because his name signifies anything about the young man, but, through
no choice of his own, binds him to an epic generational struggle between their
families. “What’s in a name?” she asks in her despairing solitude,
continuing with the iconic phrase that would permeate Western thought and
culture ever since: “That which we call a rose by any other name would smell
as sweet.” Yes, Juliet, a flower’s
unique aroma will be what it will be, paying no attention to the name mankind
plasters upon it; but in the realm of individuals and lives lived, the names
and words we attach to ourselves or one another carry far-reaching significance.
Understandably, though we may not end up in a subterranean tomb, locked in
forlorn embrace as Romeo and Juliet, tragically mistaken about just how much
weight their names carried, we do ourselves a great disservice if we ignore the
importance of a single word
For 2016 each member of our Catalyst
Church Pastoral Staff has prayerfully chosen a single word to use as their
unifying theme – a lens, if you will, through which to view and approach each
day throughout the year ahead. My word
is accelerate. Those who know me
and my personality won’t be surprised that I’ve also attached a symbolic image
to my word as well, aiding me in giving the word acceleration added context and meaning. I’m employing the ubiquitous dragonfly for this task of visualization,
representing and reminding me my theme-word, accelerate.
No one will likely ever label me as
a bug aficionado, however dragonflies have always fascinated me, never failing
to capture my attention with their gem-like flashes of color and aerial
acrobatics. Recently I learned that
dragonflies may occupy a truly unique status in the biological realm as the
only thing that can accelerate in any
direction. Hummingbirds can coast backwards, lacewing flies can
apparently fall with precision, but,
as I understand it, no other thing can move intentionally
faster in whatever direction desired.
That inspires me. As if the dragonfly were challenging me to never
simply accept where I am in any area or facet of my life (man, husband, father,
Christ-Follower, leader) with the culturally-accepted resignation of “it is
what it is.”
Acceleration, as I envision it in my
life right now, flies in the face of defeatism or fatalism. In any area of my
life, any realm, any skill-set, any habitual patterns or behaviors, I may well
be where I am at the moment – but I
am not stuck in that spot; I can move with intentionality and purpose in
whichever direction the Lord asks of me. I can - and will - accelerate.
Look out 2016, I’m coming at you – faster!
bill@catalystchurch.life
bill@catalystchurch.life
