The Power of A Name

I’ve been “accused” of having adult attention deficit disorder. I say accused because I’ve never been formally diagnosed with the condition, but rather have had friends and family point out my frequent inability to focus on one thing for a period of time. It typically comes in the form of friendly banter about how in the middle of a conversation or activity the participants will look up and I’ll be off chasing a bee or something. I defend myself by arguing that the bee just happened to be the most appealing thing at the time (which, I suppose, could be one definition for ADD).

Regardless of the validity of the accusation, I must admit, coming to a place like The Salt Company creates some challenges for a guy like me. During a service I can often find myself enthralled with the lights in the back of the stage, imagining myself on the catwalk dangling from the rafters, or dreaming of ripping on the drum kit like Brenton. Such a facility, packed with 800 students, creates an atmosphere where my brainwaves are operating on overload.

I believe this complicates my greatest challenge: names. I understand that ministry is about relationships. I know that to enter into someone’s world, to engage in meaningful conversation, to lend a genuine ear, to go out of the way to make someone feel valued, to provide loving counsel, to forgo plans or sleep to invest in the life of another…this is how disciples are made. I also understand that a relationship begins with a name. This is, without question, the most daunting part of being a “new guy.” Where do you begin in a room of 800 people? I guess you gotta start with one person. I’ve been doing this for three months now, working hard to learn names, writing them down, asking random questions of individuals that might help me remember their names better, creating word associations, even Facebook stalking if necessary, etc. Sometimes I get them right, most often I don’t. Sometimes I wonder how significant this “name game” really is. Does it really matter? Is it really worth the time and energy?

Yes. Most emphatically, Yes.

A couple of weeks ago during the “Say hi to someone around you” time at TSC, I recognized a familiar face from this summer. I met the individual once, but by the grace of God, and through a number of memory tactics, this student’s name was immediately accessible from my memory bank as I smiled and offered a handshake. No big deal right? We all get one right once in a while.

The next day I found the following message in my inbox:

Hey Shane,

I meant to catch you last night after salt and tell you in person that I really appreciate you remembering my name. I know that may sound a little crazy, but ever since my first time at SALT I am used to introducing myself to the same person a couple times...It took me by surprise that you knew my name because I know you have met a lot of different people…Thank you for making me feel like more than a number.

Wow. It didn’t take long for me to consider the countless others in a ministry the size of The Salt Company who often feel as though they are just a number, a mere face among the crowd. They are all significant. They are all created in the image of God. They all need someone to remember their name. They all need to hear of the name that is above every name, the name of Jesus Christ.

Then I had another thought. 28,000. The number of students at Iowa State University. Each with a name, each with a soul. I’m thankful God is sovereign, that He not only knows each of our names, but he even has a name for each one of the hairs on our head (unfortunately, each day he has a few less to remember on mine).

This is quite comforting to me as that same night a few weeks ago, immediately after my successful name recollection, I turned to another student next to me, stuck out my hand, smiled and said, “Hey Peter!” To which he replied, “It’s Zach.” I guess I’m a work in progress.