What's in a Name Change

Steven Demetre Georgiou, Lew Alcindor, Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr., Barry Soetoro these are all people who you probably know by another name.  All but one of these state the same reason for the change of names… their conversion to Islam.  There is a good chance you know the names of… I’d guess… two or three of these people.  I’m thinking you may not know Steven Demetre Georgiou… either by his real name (which is Steven Demetre Georgiou) or by the name he changed it to at conversion… Yusuf Islam.  However, (sung to the tune of “Morning has Broken”) if I told you his stage name you would probably know him… especially if you graduated from High School in the early 70’s.  He may have been looking for a “Hard Headed Woman”, but Cat Stevens probably didn’t help his search by changing his name! 

The others you may know, but for the record Alcindor became Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and of course Cassius Clay is the “greatest” Muhammad Ali.  Which leaves us with the one who isn’t declaring the association to Islam… Barry Soetoro.  His politics, however, seem to be making the declaration for him… only the president knows for sure.

RR&R Proverbs 21:2

We didn't read far today in Proverbs before getting some good thoughts from the Word. "Every way of a man is right in his own eyes. But the Lord pondereth the heart." Proverbs 21:2 
It is doubtful that anyone would pursue any cause that he (she) felt to be wrong. Whether religiously or morally. Many choices are made during the course of ones life and struggles as to which path to choose are a seemingly endless companions. Regardless of the path chosen, one thing remains constant... we believe we are doing the right thing. Even if its wrong. While many can look on from the outside and "easily" see that our choice is not the right one... the person in the throws of the struggle is trying to do the thing that is best (for him at least). Our world is nearly aflame with wars and conflicts and every man on every side is believing to be in the right. The bottom line is that we are not very good judges as to the right and wrong of things. We should be thankful for outside sources that influence our decisions in the right path. But knowing which of those outside sources to trust can be a tough call. We have to prove those sources early on in order to trust them in time of crisis. Putting off a search for spiritual anchors is not a wise thing.
But even when our due diligence fails us from time to time, the second part of the verse comes into play... "the Lord pondereth the heart". God does not look totally at the right and wrong of your choice in His judgment of your situation, but He looks (and ponders) your heart... what was your motive when you made the wrong choice? He (and only He) can see not only "what" your choice was, but "why" you made the one you did. "Have mercy upon me, O God, according to your lovingkindness: according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgression." (Ps 51:1)