How many people know your name?

Just for fun, stop for a minute and make a guesstimate. Think of family, friends, even acquaintances. How high did you get? One hundred? Two Hundred? Five Hundred? More? I imagine there are more than you think. Now think about a time when you were surprised to find out someone knew your name. Perhaps it was in high school when you were made aware of a certain young man/woman who knew who you were. Or as an adult someone you admired at a social event or in the workplace.

With the popularity of Facebook and other social media more and more people may discover your name. Your “friends” list expands and more people find you through social networking. Whether it’s a long-lost friend or someone whom you’ve never met there is a certain curiosity when that balloon pops up and someone asks you to “friend” them.

There can be a certain thrill to finding out someone new knows your name. And I think sometimes we find a bigger thrill when that person knows many other people. There’s something about being known in the midst of a crowd that validates us or makes us feel important.

But do you know what I think is even more thrilling? The one who knows the names of billions of people (yes, that’s billions with a “b”!) knows your name! 

And the LORD said to Moses, “I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.”  Exodus 33:17

Just as He told Moses, God, who created the universe and each person in it knows your name and He’s happy about that! God doesn’t know your name because of a mutual friend or because you did something remarkable. He knows your name because He created you!

¹³ For you created my inmost being;
   you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
   your works are wonderful,
   I know that full well.
¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you
   when I was made in the secret place,
   when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
¹⁶ Your eyes saw my unformed body;
   all the days ordained for me were written in your book
   before one of them came to be.
¹⁷ How precious to me are your thoughts,God!
   How vast is the sum of them!
¹⁸ Were I to count them,
   they would outnumber the grains of sand—
   when I awake, I am still with you.   Psalm 139:13-18

 

God didn’t create you just to exist, but to do something special for Him that only you can do.

You may feel unremarkable – You’re not.

You may think you’re not good enough – You are.

You are perfect for exactly what God has for you today. Don’t compare yourself to the others around you, and don’t allow yourself to feel insignificant. Whether your part today is big or small, you have an important part to play that only you can accomplish.

I was reminded this weekend of a great quote from the movie Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium¹

“Your life is an occasion ~ rise to it!”

The important part of life is not the number of people who know your name, it’s that the One who loves you more than anyone on earth knows your name and has important things for you to do today.

Look for what God has planned for you today, reaching out to others, praying, or mopping floors. Whatever your part is today, If you don’t do it because you don’t think it’s important enough or glamorous enough, a peace will be missing in the puzzle of life.

blessings and peace to you today…

Paula

 

footnotes: ¹en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr._Magorium’s_Wonder_Emporium