Known By Name

It’s impossible to predict what Kindergarten students will say. Today, for instance, after hearing, responding/dancing to, and/or singing no less than ten new songs, one of my Kindergarten students said, “But we didn’t do music,” as she left class. I’m not sure what she thought we had done, but in her mind, we hadn’t done music. Thankfully a classmate set her straight, “Yes we did. That’s why it’s called MUSIC class.” 😊

And on Friday. When I asked the first student on the carpet to tell me his name, I was not at all prepared for him to tell me his full name. I’m usually lucky to get a first name out of my students on their first day of class, so to hear a full name and understand every syllable was a surprise! Then, after the next student did the same thing, I was even more surprised. Then the next. And the next. And the next. Until every student in the class had introduced themselves by telling me their First Middle and Last names!

I asked the assistant if they had been practicing this in class. She said no, that she was just as surprised as me. And so for the first time ever, I was introduced to a Kindergarten class by their full names—by every way they knew to identify themselves.

Oddly enough, I didn’t think about this strange Kindergarten occurrence again until yesterday morning when my dad said something in a prayer that caught my attention:

“When we think of our names--” he prayed, “our full names—may we know that You know us—really know us—and love us--just as we are.”

My eyes popped open when he said that. Memories of my Kindergarten class introducing themselves with their full names moved to the forefront of my mind. And I thought to myself, “God knows us by name—by full name—by every way we know to identify ourselves—and God loves us—shortcomings and all.”

Just as I oftentimes shake my head at my Kindergarten students because they are so impulsive and unpredictable, so restless and hard of hearing, I imagine that God oftentimes shakes God’s head at us for being the same. Yet just as I love my little space cadets who cannot sit still, God loves God’s humans who, too, struggle to be still. And just as I try to be patient with my Kindergarten students as they mature in their abilities to do school and learn, God is patient with us as we mature in our faith.

What is your full name? When is the last time you said it aloud? Take a moment to do so now.

God knows you—your full name—and God loves you—in all of your messy glory.

Amen.