By Name

2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. John 10:2-3 (NIV)

Have you ever been called by the wrong name? My older sister is just two years older than I am, and growing up, people often called me by her name. Even as adults, I still get called by her name occasionally. There are many times at school that students have trouble remembering my name. What teacher hasn’t been called, “Mom” or “Ms. ___(insert last year’s teacher)__”? Sometimes we answer to “Hey, Teacher!” Or maybe you’ve even been called “Grandma!” (Yes, it has happened to me!)

As a young person, it always felt like an insult to be called the wrong name. So as a teacher, when I do this to my students, I profusely apologize, because I feel so terrible about it.

There is just something very significant about being called by your name. At school, I work hard during the first few days of each school year to learn the students’ names. In my position, I work with students in every grade level from kindergarten to fifth grade. It’s a small school, but I put in a lot of effort to learn each student by name and to use it when I greet them in the hallway because I know that it makes students feel noticed and important.

I know most teachers and school workers try to learn the names of the students. One of our school custodians who has passed away modeled this for me. Jerry knew every student in the K-8 building and would purposely call them by name when he met a line in the hallway. I have another teacher friend who works with middle and high schoolers. She won’t let her students leave her room the first day until she can correctly call them by name. It sends a message when we care enough to learn their names-- that we know who they are, that they belong in our building or classroom, that they are important to us.

When I think about these verses from John 10 today, I am amazed by the idea that Jesus knows me by name. I am not just another person in the crowd to my Lord. He knows more than just my name, too. He knows me. Completely. More than I know myself! And this makes me feel loved and cared for, secure. It creates a sense of belonging to Him.

Jesus knows your name, too. He knows you inside and out--your thoughts, your feelings, the number of hairs on your head! And He loves us, just as we are. I don’t have to do anything spectacular to gain His attention so that He will take note of me. I don’t need a name tag for Him. I am His, and He knows my name.

Not only does He know my name, but He calls me by it. He speaks to me and directs me like a good shepherd. I have to learn His voice, just like a sheep learns the voice of its shepherd. That kind of recognition takes time and develops through my relationship with Him. And I am learning to be more attentive to His voice -- especially when He is calling my name. I don’t listen perfectly, but I’m trying, and He is very patient with me.

I want to encourage you today, as you work to learn your students’ names and use them each day at school, to also work to learn Jesus’ voice. Spend time reading the scripture and praying each day so that you can answer obediently when He calls you by name.

Father God, Thank you for being a God who seeks to have a relationship with us, for knowing us by name. Thank you for caring for us like a good shepherd. And I pray that each one reading this devotion will understand fully that You know them by name and that You love them more than they can imagine. Let that truth sink deep into our hearts today.

For small groups:
Share about a time when someone called you by the wrong name.
Share about a special nickname you have and how you got it.
Pray that God will help us learn our students names and how to connect with them this year, and also to recognize His voice when He calls our names so that we can be obedient to follow.