Whose name do you wear?

I have been out of town for a few days – 'twas a great trip!  Sometimes it’s good to get out of the “Bible Belt” and/or your comfort zone for a while and be reminded of God’s children in all other walks of life that are so different from your own, and unique and interesting.

On my way back to home, I of course must go through all the stages of air travel that we know so well...check in, baggage, security, more security. And they ID you at every one of those stages. What is your name?  What name do you wear around on your ID?  What’s your identity?  Are you sure that’s your identity?  Do you claim your name?

Seemingly monotonous questions, yet I was reminded today in a roundabout way of the importance of them.

I go through the process of security preparation…it’s FUN, isn’t it?!  :)  and somehow I’m shuffled into the very LONGEST security line of them all.  Of course I am.  Waiting in this line for a while, I start to notice a female security officer just staring at me from the other side of the scanner.  I had already encountered some rather...well, unfriendly airport staffers that morning so I was thinking to myself “oh, great.  I’m going to get flagged and searched.  It is going to happen.”  This lady just kept staring at me.  I avoided her gaze.
Finally, once all my items were on the belt I headed over to the walk-through security and this pretty blonde lady standing on the other side of the scanner waved me through…but something was off.  It didn’t feel normal.  So I go through without setting off any alarms or flagging any national security risks and yet the blonde security lady stops me… here we go, I think.   I finally gaze gently and expectantly right back into her eyes and wait.

Sincerely and empathetically she breathes, “I love your shirt.   Is....is it about the Lord….?”

What?!?

Now that was NOT was I was expecting!   I immediately have an emotional shift from apathy and a little dread about being patted down to incredible JOY.

She’s knows my Father!

Oftentimes, we say that “it’s a small world” when we meet an acquaintance in a unique way or run into a long lost friend or figure out connections through friends of friends…and it is fun! Knowing a mutual person creates an immediate bond, maybe strong - maybe weak, but nonetheless a bond because you are now connected to each other.  The gap between strangers is crossed, the barrier is breached.

But when someone else knows your Father…? THAT is an incredible feeling.

When you share with a stranger the love of our God?  That is truly a gift.

I responded to her by saying, “YES. Yes, it’s about the Lord!”

She started tearing up and read the back of my shirt.  She was inquisitive.  She was excited.  I told her about my mom.  She wanted to know her name and said she would write it down as soon as possible, so she could pray for Judy.  She asked what stage Judy was in.  She was so touched.

And THEN she said, “Is your mom saved?”

What an incredible question to ask right in the middle of airport security chaos…and what an even more incredible answer that I was blessed enough to give…”Yes! Saved and loving our God!” The grin on the blonde lady’s face was genuine and precious.

As she waved and checked on a few more people coming through the line, her mood suddenly changed to one of urgency and pain.  She came closer, “You are my sister in Christ – can I ask you to do something?  Will you pray for my sister?   She lives in Massachusetts and she is in the last stages of liver disease. She has family up there with her.

But...she is not saved.  She does not know God.  And she needs to.

Will you pray for her to know the Lord…soon?”

I was humbled, I was joyous, I was hurting for this precious lady who had been staring at me earlier through the eyes of a stranger but whom had suddenly become so dear to my heart.  I might never cross paths with her again, yet I am excited to see her in eternity!
…But will she be able to fellowship with her own real sister in eternity?  That was the burden on her shoulders. That was the pain she wore on her face. That was her desire.

And SO -- I will be praying for Diane’s sister, Anita. Praying that God works through one or many of His people to reconcile Him to His daughter.  I will be praying for Anita’s disease as well – and maybe her disease will somehow be the bond to eternal love that she never had to earn yet only needs to embrace.

I eventually had to grab my things and walk away from Diane…I look back at some point and Diane is writing on a piece of paper…I have no doubt that the pieceof paper now says “Judy Newton.” on it.

We are called to wear His name.
We wear His name in blue.  Or in white.  In TSA clothes. Or in a teacher’s badge.   In a business suit.  Or in a jersey.
We wear His name even when our shirt doesn’t say a single word on it.
We wear His name because we are His people.
And we wear His name so that when we experience sickness and death and suffering in this world, we have hope. We are called to wear His name so that when life takes a hold and tries to suffocate us, we can share with each other and commune together…we can be brothers and sisters.  And we are called to wear His name – not so that no man will die, for we all shall take a final breath – but so that no man would die without knowing the love of our Father.

Please pray for Anita to know our God’s encompassing adoration…soon.

And thanks, Mom, for wearing His name throughout your life. You continue to touch many.