We’ve all done it.  

Confidently greet an acquaintance by name.  

A week or so later, you proudly address them by name again, but notice a slight wince as you say their name.

And then the light bulb appears above your head and you realize you’ve called them the wrong name.  

Palm to face. What are you supposed to  do?  Apologize? Avoid them at all costs including run the other direction every time you see them? Pretend it never happened? because Of course you know their name and obviously, there must be something wrong with their hearing.

With a name like Bobi Ann, I’m particularly sensitive to using people’s name correctly.  I can’t tell you how many people have butchered my name.  I’ve been “Robby”, “Bobby”, “Barbie”, “Barbara”, “Bobi Jo” and the list could go on.  So, I aim to know people’s name and address them by it because a person’s name matters.  

Have you thought about the importance of a name?  When someone you respect and didn’t expect to know your name, does.  It means something, it feels significant.  Because they know YOU.

“…I have called you by name, you are mine.”

Isaiah 43:1

Those words were said by God about YOU.

The BIG God that holds the universe in His hand and breathed life into each of us calls you by name.    And not just that, He looks upon you with affection and calls you by name.

He didn’t use the wrong name because He knows you.

But sometimes, you call yourself by the wrong name.

Have you ever called yourself loser, failure, unlovable, stupid, not worth it?

Palm to face. You are calling yourself by the wrong name. It may not seem as embarrassing but I assure you it’s worse–Jesus paid a high price to give you a new name for you to get it wrong.

Instead of pretending you don’t sometimes call yourself by the wrong name, try calling yourself by the name given to you by Jesus when He rescued you.

You are:

Forgiven

Chosen

Friend of God

a Masterpiece

Redeemed

Created on purpose for a purpose

Child of God

Known by Him

Loved by Him

The next time you forget someone’s name or call them by the wrong name, use it as a reminder to make sure you are calling yourself by the right name too.