Feb 1 - Colossians 3:17

Whatever you do, in word or deed,

do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus,

giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Colossians 3:17

What does it mean to do something in Jesus' name? Let me illustrate with a story ...

In one of my favorite Andy Griffith episodes, Deputy Sheriff Barney Fife tries to run off a peddler. The man is tough and angry ... and twice Barney's size. He furls his brow, sticks his finger in Barney's chest, and says something like, "Oh yeah. Make me."

Barney scampers away, and spends most of the episode viewing himself as a failure and considering whether he should quit. Andy finds out the reason for Barney's hesitation, and when the peddler returns, the sturdier sheriff volunteers to run the peddler off.

Barney finally discovers his resolve. Though scared to death, Barney confronts the peddler. The bully grabs him by the collar, promising to pummel him. But Barney says, "Go ahead. You're bigger than me. You can easily pound me into the dirt. But do you see this?"

Barney points to his badge, saying, "This badge is a symbol. When you fight me, you're fighting all the people who stand behind this badge. You can't beat all of them. If you beat me, they'll send another and another. This badge stands for something bigger than you and me both."

That's what doing something in the name of Jesus means. It doesn't mean praying with a formula or saying, "In the name of Jesus" forty times in every prayer. It means standing where Jesus would stand if he were here.

You may be a 120-lbs weakling, but when you make a God-honoring stand in the name of Jesus, all the power behind the badge -- all the power in his name -- will be there to back you up.

That's what "power in the name" means. Stand for him and he'll stand beside you.

In Christ's Love,

a guy named Barney,

weak on my own,

strong in the name.