Hippeastrum (Say What?)

 

You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God,

for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses His name.

Exodus 20:7

One of my favorite catalogs – particularly at the Christmas season, comes from Harry & David, the premiere fruit purveyors from Oregon. Whoever their catalog stylist is should be making big bucks – you can hardly put the advertisement booklet down.  During the Christmas season, one of their star sellers is a beautiful Amaryllis plant.  Guaranteed to produce a massively gorgeous bloom in the dead of winter, these plants make a striking addition to the home during the cold season.  Imagine my surprise to recently discover that these plants are not Amaryllis at all [an African genus in the same family], but Hippeastrum [native to tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas].

I can understand perfectly that the name “Hippeastrum” doesn’t exactly have shelf appeal.  I’m not even sure how to pronounce it.  “Amaryllis” is much more attractive, and hey – the plant doesn’t know the difference, so who cares, right?  Hmmm… I don’t know; it actually kind of bothers me.  Is this the only plant in the world that has the wrong name, or are there other favorites of mine that aren’t actually what they seem?  Is a daisy a daisy, or is it a mum in disguise?  What about a zinnia?  It might just be a closet dahlia. 

Names are a source of our identity.  I am Sherrie.  I am not Susan, or Sandra or Shelly.  It does matter what you call me.  My father used to say, “Call a spade a spade,” and I completely agree. As believers, we take the name of Christ and call ourselves “Christians.”  To be a Christian is to believe in Christ, follow Christ, and be like Christ.  If we sling the mantle of Christianity over our shoulders and then live our lives for ourselves, the world eventually gets the picture that we aren’t really what we seem.

I want to uphold every day the name of Him who gave His life to ransom mine.  And I think I’ll buy a Hippeastrum this year for Christmas!