"Restless... Who will remember my name when I'm gone?"
The song blared out over my speakers reminding me anew of how desperately we desire to have our name attached to something of lasting significance, beauty, or meaning. We all want to "make a name for ourselves." We all desire to be "known" for making this world a better place in some way. In short, just as the song said, we all want people to remember our name when we're gone!
Most of life is a desperate attempt to make this wish come true--either through accomplishments, influence, or by presenting a bigger-than-life personality to others. Our worst fear is that our lives would turn out to be "useless" in the end--that ultimately, it would have made no difference whether we had lived or not.
This fear of meaninglessness--our names being lost in the crowd, never to be remembered again--is a fear that haunts our every action and tempts us to put on masks to impress others in a desperate attempt to be recognized, adored, and remembered. Much of the pursuit of fame is driven by the desire to be known by the "big names"--the celebrities, the movers and shakers, and those in positions of power. By identifying with the "big names" we hope that our name will be remembered and not forgotten.
But no matter who we impress, our name is still destined for obscurity. For those we impress are doomed to the same extinction that we are--and who will remember their name? To seek to gain a lasting memory in the heart of others is a futile game. Why then do we continue to strive, fight, kick, push, and shove others in order to "make a name for ourselves"? Why do we continue to put on masks in order to please others when we know full well that we are only kidding ourselves and others? And even if we do make a name for ourselves in this manner, the person that will be remembered will not really be ourselves, but a masked pretender!
Because of the precarious nature of trying to make a name for myself among those who are also fighting to do the same, I have committed myself to remembering one thing: God knows my name!
Though others may forget me, of one thing I am sure: The eternal God knows who I am, has accepted me as I am, and desires nothing else than that I would be all that he has made me to be in Christ. He will never forget me!
Why then do we spend so much of our time "trying to make a name for ourselves," trying to do all we can so that the "big names" will know us? Perhaps we do all this because we have not considered how great it is that God knows our name and will never forget us. All that we do, all that we say, and all that we are will be remembered by God.
This week, in the midst of this dog-eat-dog world full
of misunderstandings, and desperate attempts to gain recognition
by others, keep in mind this one truth: God knows your name!
© Richard J. Vincent, July 21, 2002
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