Love Is Knowing My Name

Recently we hosted a family with a young daughter. We showed her around the house, played games, and overall had a great time.

As I was walking with her toward our barn, she asked, “How can you remember all your animals’ names?”

I was a bit surprised. This question had never occurred to me, but I responded with truth. I credit God. “Well,” I answered, “You remember the names of things you love. Your mom and dad won’t ever forget your name because they love you. The same is true with God.”

I have sometimes wondered how God can remember all of our names. What is man that He is mindful of him? The son of man, that He cares for him? And God doesn’t strive or need to train His memory. He remembers with ease. He catches our tears in a bottle (Ps. 56:8). The very hairs of our head are numbered (Matt. 10:30). He knows our every sorrow and is not bored with them. Why? Because He loves us.

Such is the love that should flow out of us. Now, we are compelled by the love of Christ (2 Cor. 5:14), which is expressed in part by knowing and using names. The Shepherd calls His sheep “by name” and leads them out (Jn. 10:3). In the same vein, 3 John 1:14 says to greet the friends “by name.”

Remembering names isn’t easy. If it helps, I know some people who write down the names of the people they meet. It is certainly a discipline, but it communicates love.

If we want to remember names, it’s not a bad idea to pray for a better memory, or train the one we have. But perhaps more than a good memory what we need is more love.