The Importance of a Name

I don't have quite as much free time as Jen does (She's living the good life, isn't she?) so my posts are a bit fewer in number.  Sometimes I'm not sure there is much to say about my life since it is a lot of school and work - with some play, of course.  But this blog is about more than our adventures, it's also about our musing, so here is one of mine.

I am taking a "Principles of Leadership" institute class this semester.  It's the first semester they are teaching it at the U.  Technically I've already graduated from institute and received an advanced degree ("a degree of glory you can achieve in this life" as the posters in the institute used to say.)  and I've gone through all of the basic institute classes, so I was excited to see this one on the list.

One day we were talking about how truly great leaders, like Jesus Christ are shepherds.  We listened to "Shepherds of Israel" by Elder John R. Lasater where he tells of an experience in Morocco where he witnessed the love of a shepherd.  One of his sheep was hit by a car, and he held him in his arms and said his name over and over again.  He sorrowed for the sheep, caring little for the monetary value he had lost.  He truly loved his sheep.

That shepherd new each of His sheep by name.  He truly cared about all of his sheep, and even though we may think, "They are only sheep.  They are so insignificant compared to humans."  Yet isn't that how we compare to our Father in Heaven?  We are mere humans, prone to follies and so dependent on our Father for everything.  Yet to Him we are everything and we matter enough for Him to know each and everyone of our names.

I've heard it said that people's favorite word to hear is their own name.  We often talk of how Christ and Heavenly Father know each of us by name and how much that means to each of us to have that knowledge.  Yet, how many of us say, "I'm not good at remembering names"?  We try for a short time to remember a name or two and then move on.  If we don't think we'll see a person again, there seems little reason to try to remember their name.  Yet if our God knows us all by name and we are striving to become like God, then shouldn't we strive to develop this God-like trait?  So here's to remembering, learning and using the names of the people in my classes, my ward, and those I meet even for a moment.  For surely they all matter to the Lord.