I was in a homeless shelter--having just served food--and went into a game room to mingle with the people there. I approached someone who had been sitting in a corner alone. He had a wheelchair and several extensive knee braces. I knew if anybody could sympathize with him and understand...I could. I started the conversation by asking which food he liked the best at the dinner, and we ended the conversation as if we'd known each other for years. Before long, I had to leave. It was then I realized I didn't know his name and that was starting to bug me. Right before leaving, I asked his name. He replied, "They call me Josh." (Real name changed for privacy).
Normally, we would just say our names. Yet in their culture, they have nicknames everybody called them. I learned that often their nicknames differ greatly from their actual name--sometimes a completely unrelated name. If you look in the Bible, you realize how important names are. Jesus has so many names; Savior, Lamb, Shepherd...throughout the Bible there are a hundred examples of different names. Names not only tell you apart from other people, they also identify who you are. The question is, what name are you known by? Will people call you a servant of Christ after you die?
Kayla Joy
