WHAT'S IN A NAME?
As you might imagine, the thought process behind naming an organization can be quite involved. For some, it merely comes as one brilliant idea just bubbling up in a matter of seconds. For others, like me, takes days and weeks pondering ... praying ... writing down thoughts.
As I went about my daily life, I became more aware of how often I heard women saying negative things about themselves, especially when they looked into a mirror. It hit me that most women see themselves negatively when looking at their reflection. I knew that the organization should include "mirror" in the name.
Since our work is based on the words God gave us, it was imperative that the name contain a biblical reference. With those guidelines, I became persistent in asking for God's guidance. As I opened my Bible and started reading the stories of women, I finally chose Sarai from the book of Genesis.
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Well, who's Sarai?
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Sarai, meaning princess in Hebrew, was the matriarch of women. She had so many things going well for her that she did not see for herself. Sarai did not realize the value already placed upon her. She spent much of her life trying to live up to someone else's expectations.
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You see, Saria was barren, and in the time she was living, society placed high significance on a woman's ability to produce an heir. So when a woman couldn't become pregnant, initially, everyone else thought that the woman was at fault.
God had great plans for her, just as He does for you. God promised that Sarai and Abram would have a child, but they waited for many years. God always comes through on a promise, and Sarah and Abraham were no exception: they eventually had their son Isaac.
Many have read about Sarai and Abram throughout the ages, and most will remember Sarai as a beautiful woman, yet barren and waiting on God to deliver His promise. God knew what he was doing. He knew that Sarai could handle all that he gave her to endure.
Just as we do many times ourselves, Sarai took matters into her own hands and thought that by doing so, her plans would make her more worthy, or at least make her feel like she was.
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As women today, we do the same thing. Maybe you're waiting to become pregnant with a child. Perhaps you’re not, but you are waiting for something else to come through for you. It seems that we define ourselves by what we have or do not have. And more often, we allow ourselves to measure our value by comparing ourselves to others.
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I am confident that it would be better to remember Sarai for who she was and all of her attributes rather than recognizing her as a beautiful yet barren woman. Now, here we are centuries later, still struggling with the same issues of defining our worth based on outward appearances instead of our inward strengths and God anointed gifts.
Not realizing our full value is nothing new. Sarai struggled with the issue just as we do today. As you read her story in Genesis, you will learn that God changed her name to Sarah and Abram's name to Abraham. I chose to use her original name for two reasons:
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1) The uniqueness of it.
2) She had that name most of her life.
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I encourage you to reflect on Sarai and Abram's story, which begins in Genesis 11:29.
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