Why Are There So Many Lisas?

“Why are there so many Lisas at church, Mommy? What’s so important about the name Lisa anyway?” My youngest son seemed genuinely confused and curious one night as we counted all the “Lisas” we know. It made me laugh, and I think I responded with a light-hearted answer like, “Well because Lisa is a cool name.” While it is a cool name, it’s also a very important name – just as my son unwittingly thought.

The name “Lisa” means “oath of God” or “God is satisfaction” (this comes from the name Elizabeth). It is also a diminutive of Bethia – which means “daughter or worshipper of God.” Names are extremely important, and I started to wonder why God had put so many Lisas in my life: my best friend from high school, my assistant, a couple of co-workers, my husband’s boss’s wife, along with a handful of wonderful Bible teachers…