What’s in a name? Everything, as well as all you need to know.
We’ve discussed categories a good deal here at the Catch and each time we do we come up with the same conclusion: any category is an inadequate means of thinking about, defining, or treating a person. Us, them; Christian, non-Christian, Muslim, Jew; gay, straight; outside, inside; wheat, tare; good, bad; sinner, saint; black, white; rich, poor; Republican, Democrat; socialist, capitalist; Asian, Hispanic; Yankee fan, Tiger fan – all are inadequate and unnecessary.
Here is all any of us needs to know about someone: his or her name. When you know someone by name, all categories disappear. This is why names are so important in the Bible. God knows us by name. Our names are written on the palms of God’s hands. It’s personal. It’s complete.
And suddenly there was with me
An ocean of humanity
A sea of many faces
In waves of warm embraces
And while I questioned how to judge them all
Who would rise and who would fall
I found myself among them
And it mattered little who was wrong or right
— from “The Only One” by John Fischer
Everyone has a name, regardless of anything else. If you know a name, you are getting to know a person. That’s what counts. Let everything else go. George, Sally, Debbie, Brian… that’s all you need to know, while at the same time, it’s only the beginning of what you will come to know and experience.
A name. A person. A reflection of God. What’s your name?
John Fischer The Catch 
That’s interesting, because I consider a person’s name to be the LEAST important thing about them. After all, most people came by their name via an idiotic process: e.g., their parent’s favorite soap opera star, etc. What I consider to be the most important thing about people is their heart. First of all, does Christ live in their heart – do they know Him? Second, what are their goals and dreams – what do they want to accomplish with their life? And, third, is this a person I could enjoy getting to know better – i.e., do we have common interests? The answers to those questions will determine how I relate to them.
The thing about Jesus is, He already knew what was in men’s hearts. So He didn’t have to spend a lot of time getting to know them. He went straight to the issue at hand. We don’t have that luxury. We have to spend time getting to know people before we know what they need and if we can help them with that need. And that, after all, is what love is all about: meeting people’s needs – first physically, then spiritually. That was what Jesus was all about.
All well and good Brother. It apears to me that you can get a persons attention by saying their name. It proves to be of value to them. Likewise they see you value them. Just as God values us all.
John…. Some of your pointers on how to live as believers just plain knock me down! What you recommend here to so many people is to cast aside all discernment… stick your head in the sand… and just be a nice guy to everyone, and that will be the right way to interact with the world. What about responsibility to those you are responsible for? Should I just get a strange guys name and then let him play with my grandchildren at the park while I go about my business? Should I allow a drug addict access into my home to fix my toilet while I go to work, as long as he tells me his name? Maybe we should not do any background on volunteers in our Sunday school classrooms… as long as we have their names. Or, how about casting our vote for someone running for President of the United States who has sealed up all his past records (college) that would allow us to know something about what his true intentions are for our Country, that our children and grandchildren will be forced to endure after we are gone?! Or, a voting record as a State Senator that was consistently recorded as a noncommittal, and gutless/deceptive “present” on almost all issues requiring his personal vote?! But I guess nothing matters as long as we know his name (wait… is it Barak, or is it Barry? not sure). John… Jesus, as well as His Apostles, consistently exercised righteous discernment as they encountered those who would do them, and the Gospel, harm…. liars, demon-possesed people, hypocrites, self=righteous people, pharisaical legalistic people, judaisers, etc.. They didn’t hesitate to call a spade a spade for the sake of protecting their hearers seeking Truth, new believers, and the Gospel itself. In fact, oftentimes they were extremely vehement as they called them out…. I won’t list all the instances …. we all have Bibles to verify this fact. I would really like to see you correct this, John! It’s just too naive of you to allow this to go by unchecked. The World is just chocked full of deception and half-truths that are causing tremendous confusion among the Church in these last days… please don’t add to it. The Good News of God’s Grace in Christ Jesus doesn’t deserve a head-in-the -sand definition like this. Please respond. Ralph Gaily
please respond…
Loving is dangerous. Caring for someone makes you vulnerable. Being in the world doesn’t mean you will be safe. The early Christians were not safe; they were courageous. The idea behind a name is that we come to know someone personally, apart from what is stereotypical about them.
Knowing a person’s name is no guarantee of knowing that person! That is found out by other means. If this “tip” of yours is true, where might we find evidence of it in our Bibles? Did Paul, or James, or Peter, or Jesus Himself ever recommend this technique of “caring for/loving someone”. I think not. It’s very shallow and naive to think that knowing someone’s name is all you need to “know” them…. unless of course you’re living in some sort of an unrealistic bubble.
My use of knowing someone’s name is a metaphor for knowing them. I would never suggest that knowing someone’s name is all you need to know. I’m saying that if you know someone by name you have now singled a person out from a category and you have a chance of getting to know a person.
Often when I read the catch I also have to stop and ask myself..what is John really trying to emphasis. I think you can’t look at the messages as stand alone comments but as a whole way of looking at our Witness to the world. The verse that came to mind after reading Ralph’s comment was Mark 8:24 & 25. I don’t think John is asking us to set discernment aside so much as trying to set “judgment” aside, in the sense of Mercy triumphiing over Judgment. Our “discernment” is so often just judgement in disquise. We are being challenged here to see people as Jesus sees them.
Remember Jersulem…”How long have I longed to gather you in my arms; but you would not. Jesus Wept.” (Matthew 23:37 with Luke 19:41) Lord, help us to see people not as trees but as you see them, calling each by name.