I have never been a fan of name tags. Wearing them has
been a part of my uniform for the past 14 years, but I still don’t like them. I
have been to some meetings where they have prepared the name tags for the participants
ahead of time. When I go to the registration table to get my name tag and a packet
of program materials, sometimes they have my name as “James Cox.” After all,
that is my name—James is my first name. Anything official has my name as “James
Cox.”
I don’t think my Mother and Father knew what a headache
it would be to name their son and then use the middle name. I dreaded the first
day of school for all 12 years because the teacher would call out, “James Cox,”
and my friends would laugh out loud.
I guess the only pleasure that I get in not using my
first name is when a wise-guy telemarketer calls at dinner time and asks to
speak to James or Jim. We just say there is no one here by that name!
I have done a lot of thinking through the years about names,
but I guess it is more on my mind now since Allison and Will kept us guessing
the name of their expected first-born for several weeks—number 12 grandchild
and number 10 granddaughter! We are blessed.
I have often
said that the most important word to any person regardless of where in the
world they live is their own name. It is the sweetest and most important sound
in any language.
People love to hear their name. When I first meet
someone, I try to call their name right after I meet them. That affirms the
person, and oh by the way, it helps me remember their name.
As I think about how powerful a name can be my thoughts
go to familiar scriptures:
"Therefore God has highly
exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven
and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Philippians 2:9-11
"Oh Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the
earth! You have set your glory above the heavens." Psalm 8:1
Truett Cathy’s favorite Bible verse is
Proverbs 22:1.
“A good name is rather to be chosen than
great riches, and loving favor rather than silver and gold.”
