Are you good at remembering names?
Sometimes I am, sometimes I'm not. I'm not so good at remembering someone's name if I haven't seen them in a while and I see them out of the context I normally saw them in.
I really admire people like Charles Schwab who knew the names of all 8,000 of his employees at Homestead Mill...Or Charles W. Eliot who, during his forty years as president of Harvard, earned the reputation of knowing all the students by name each year.
I grew up as a youngster with a pastor by the name of Philip Wannamacher. Having moved in and out of Springfield, Missouri 5 different times in my younger days, Pastor Wannamacher saw me at different stages of my life.
He saw me as a boy.
He saw me as a teenager.
He saw me as a college student.
He saw me as a seminary student.
He saw me as a missionary, based in Springfield.
Each time that we met over the years, he would always say, "hey, George, how are you doing?" Each time that he saw me I had changed in some way.
He had a gift for remembering names.
Most of us don't have that gift...And if you do...Rejoice!
I've recently read that the time to remember someone's name is the very brief period of time when we stand face to face with them.
When we meet someone, we are to remind ourselves of two things:
1. The person is important
2. God has arranged your meeting for some purpose.
Some tips on remembering names.
1. Impressions. Allow the name to make an impression on your memory bank.
Repeat the persons name while you are talking to them. If necessary, spell it to the person, asking if that is the correct spelling. Get the exact pronunciation.
2. Association. Think of an association you can link with the name. Visualize the name and think of something that sounds like it or rhymes with it. For instance, John Lincoln (He is tall like president Lincoln)." Marlene Moody (she is sad-looking..moody").
3. Repetition. As you talk with the person, use their name frequently in the conversation. You might introduce the individual to others in the group, and again distinctly repeat the name.
Of course, what's really cool is that God remembers my name. When we are ushered into heaven, we will be given new names....A new name written down in glory!
By the way, what's your name again?
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Oh, am I bad at names...I used to say that if someone didn't yell MY name at me daily, I'd forget what it was. I struggle with this, as I struggle with most relational things, as being out of my temperment. I am, by nature, reclusive and introspective. I know, you don't believe it...but it's true. My social skills are moderate and I get by but what I really want to do is go somewhere quiet and read a book or write or just be by myself.
But we can't do that in this old world of ours. I used to envy the hermits of old...just taking off and living their lives in an old cave, wandering in the wilderness and living off the land. I'd probably starve if I tried that now but in my early days, it might have worked out. But there is no real opportunity to do that in today's world. The world is filling up fast and even what is considered unexplored will not be in the next 20 years.
So, I struggle with names and people. But God helps me mightily. I often say, after talking with someone or running into someone after a long time, "Thank you God for giving me the words to get through that." And it's almost never a bad conversation but just my innate lack of social ability that makes me rely on God to provide for me. God has been, and continues to be, good to me in this (and many other) areas.
I remember shortly after we moved back to Michigan after being in the military for almost 15 years. My son Jared and I went to a local store in my hometown and a guy came up to me. He knew me from high school and we had a ten-fifteen minute conversation together. When he left, and we had left the store, Jared asked me who the man was. My answer...I had no idea who he was but he obviously remembered me. Kim and I were talking about this the other day as we hung out together. I can't remember too many people from my high school days, my college days, or my military days...she remembers a lot more of them than I do--and she wasn't even with me during the high school and first college days!
That's why I think it is important to rely on God in all areas, and most importantly in the areas that you know you are weak in. God is good to make all things come out right.
Trust in the Lord for He knows the number of hairs on your head and, as George put it so well, He knows your name!
Love God, love people.
Jon
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