Names Are Important

Picture Credit: AI

Last week I had a great time working with a terrific bunch of folk from the NHS hoping to become accredited workplace mediators. To deeply embed the learning, the six-day course ended with three days of assessed role-play where they could practice their skills before being let loose on proper cases. It’s an excellent way to learn, and despite initial nerves, it wasn’t long before they embodied whatever part they’d taken on. I saw some Oscar-winning performances! One of the essential parts was the aggrieved employee, and it was fascinating to observe the real-life learning they got from mock scenarios. A particular learning point was how important it is to remember people’s names. When a mediator got the name of the aggrieved party wrong several times, they got the full force of their feelings... ‘you don’t care about me... you don’t even know my name.’

Names are important, and it’s a thread I follow in ‘A Sense of Identity’, the recent novel I’ve started writing. One of the main characters uses different names and struggles with his sense of identity. As we learn more about him, we discover his abusive boarding school stripped boys of their names, anonymised and ill-treated them – a trauma that still affects him in adulthood. Names are important.

When I used to work for the police, I had no idea that Dame Cressida Dick, the UK’s most senior police officer, knew of my existence. After all, the Met has tens of thousands of staff, and I was no one special. One day, I sat at the back of a big meeting attended by multiple colleagues when, in front of everyone, she stopped the proceedings, called my name and congratulated me on a recent promotion. Honestly, I was astonished. The big boss knew my name! Years later, I remember how that made me feel, and to this day, I would follow that woman into battle. Outstanding leaders know that remembering people’s names makes them feel valued.

We don’t always feel special or valued in our day-to-day lives. People forget our names or don’t care to know them; but God, the big boss, knows each of us by name and never stops calling out to us among the crowds. He never reduces us to thingamajig or whatshisname. In Isaiah 43 verse 1 we are told - “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine”. God never disowns us, regardless of our behaviour. He never confuses us with anyone else or forgets about our existence, even when we turn our backs on him. Right now he is calling you by name. Listen out for it.

 I will leave you with the lyrics of a song I wrote in 2024. I hope it will be a blessing to you.

 

Did I hear you call my name?

With that cross upon your back

Did you see me turn away?

As the sky turned to black

 

Chorus

 Yes I heard you call my name

Yes I heard you call my name

I heard you call my name

And I’ll never be the same

 

Did I hear you call my name?

From that cruel and rugged tree

Did I see you take my blame?

And say that I am free?

 

Did I hear you call my name?

As you died and rose above

Did you strip me of my shame?

And say that I am loved?

 

Did I hear you call my name?

And say that you’re my friend?

Did I see the glowing flame?

That’ll burn until the end?