WHAT IS YOUR NAME?
The story is told of a soldier in the army of Alexander the Great, who was brought before the great world-conqueror for court martial. When the emperor had listened to the charges and the evidence, he turned to the soldier facing condemnation and said, "What is your name?" "Alexander!" was the reply.
Again the emperor questioned, "What is your name?" And the second time the soldier answered, "Alexander!" With a cry of rage, the emperor roared, "I say, what is your name?" And when the soldier answered for the third time as he had before, the great general angrily replied, "You say your name is Alexander? You are found guilty of your crime as charged, and now you must pay the penalty. Either change your conduct, or change your name, for no man can bear the name of Alexander, my name, and do the things that you have done."
(From a sermon by Bruce Howell, "The Reputation of God" 1/22/2009)