“So out of the ground the LORD God formed every animal of the field and every bird of the air and brought them to the man to see what he would call them, and whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name” (Genesis 2:19, NRSV).

     Recently, my wife and I had dinner along the intercoastal waterway. Various watercrafts of all sizes floated past the restaurant. It has been said that having a boat without a name is bad luck. Apparently, the owners of the vessels I observed believed in this superstition. Each boat carried an interesting name:

           Blazing Paddles

           Knot 2 Sure

           Tom’s Cruise

           Kid’s Inheritance

My favorite, however, was charter named Fish and Chicks. (The boat was piloted by two seafaring women.)

     During the early days of creation, God gave the first humans the great responsibility of caring for the world. A good portion of this new charge given to Adam came the task of naming the various creatures and material objects God had made. Naming each animal gave Adam the amount of control he needed to provide adequately for its care.

     Naming is also of particular importance for exercising control over strong emotions. All of us experience moments when we feel out of control. Feelings of fear, anger, and confusion can escalate to the point of clouding our thoughts and actions.

     However, I believe that no matter how difficult the situation or strong the emotion, the following phrase can offer you solace . If you can name it, God can tame it. When a child speaks disrespectfully, the thoughtful teacher will acknowledge her anger before confronting the student. When being chastised by an unkind boss, the offended employee will recognize his hurt before spouting back with inappropriate comeback.

     This simple approach of naming one’s feelings gives God’s Spirit enough time to call upon our better angels and respond thoughtfully rather than react emotionally. By naming our feelings we allow the Holy Spirit an opportunity to reign them in and bring them under His control. If you can name it, God can tame it.

     So, go ahead. Give the idea a try. The next time you sense your emotions welling up in your soul, it may be well worth the effort to give the feeling a name. Should some thoughtless captain cut off your path with his wake, just be mindful of what you say. The words you don’t say may just help you avoid that sinking feeling of regret.