I LIKE NAME TAGS

But now, this is what the LORD says -- he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. - Isaiah 43:1

For years, I have had this fascination for name tags. The allure is not what's stuck on the clothing or hanging around the neck, but with who's wearing the tag. I mean if you have to wear the thing, who are you, after all? There may be a face to the name, but the point of the tag is to connect, right?

Although the name tag connection has generally diminished for people, my allure teeters on illusion. Oh, people still connect to the sticky backs at formal functions, but have you gone into a random store, market, fast-food joint or hardware place lately? Did the person in front of you (of course, not you!) either look up from what he or she was doing or (gulp!) stop his or her cell phone conversation long enough to say, "Hello, so-and-so! How are you?"

When the art of connection makes the simplest of communication complicated, it is then we have lost our ability to truly connect. A simple "Hello, so-and-so!" coupled with a smile demands no monthly fee or service contract. It shows, in life, we care and that we aim to live a balanced, Christ-like existence in an imbalanced, self-absorbed world.

As Christ followers, we know what it means to be known by name. How else can our Father redeem us, to "make something acceptable or pleasant in spite of its negative qualities or aspects?" My name may be Doris, but to Him, I am loved and accepted when He speaks my name.

Yeah, I still like name tags and making those random connections. But now with a bit of thought, connection can be made with a smile and Christ's redemption at the core because you cared enough to say, "Hello, so-and-so! How are you?"