Taking Names

"Surely none of the men who came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land that I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, because they have not wholly followed me, none except Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua the son of Nun, for they have wholly followed the Lord." Numbers 32:11-12

The year was 1975.  It was fourth grade.  Mrs. Robb had to leave the classroom for a time and asked Aurdis Jones to take names.  The door hadn't been closed behind Mrs. Robb for more than a second when over half of the class went crazy, writing on the chalkboard, yelling, running around the room, and throwing things.  It wasn't long before almost everyone else joined in.  The class was so loud that the teacher next door came over to find out what was going on and get things under control.

Not surprisingly, when Mrs. Robb returned to the classroom we all received a well-deserved tongue-lashing.  Not only that, recess was taken away for the rest of the week.

But, Aurdis Jones was taking names.

There were so many students misbehaving that Aurdis decided it was easier to write down the names of the students who were behaving.  There were just two names on her list.  Those students, and Aurdis, were allowed to keep their recess and got to be first in the lunch line for the rest of the week.  There was also some extra free time in the library while everyone else had to work.

God is taking names, too.

The Holy Bible tells us that one day He will separate the wheat from the chaff, the sheep from the goats, the good fish from the bad fish, the evil from the righteous.  The names of those who choose to follow Jesus are written in the book of life.  And, their reward?  Let's just say it's far better than getting to keep your recess and be first in the lunch line.

Do you find it hard not to join in when people in your workplace, home, or church misbehave?  Always remember that God sees, and He's taking names.  He's not taking names because He longs to punish us.  He's taking names because He longs to reward us.

Hebrews 11:6 tells us, "And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him."

And, 1 Corinthians 2:9 encourages us with these words, "But, as it is written, 'What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him'—".

Has Jesus written your name down?  Is your name in the book of life today?  It's not too late to do something about that if it's not.

I pray that when the Teacher, the Rabbi, our Rabboni, our Great Master comes back into the room, that He catches you doing something good.

Goodnight, Runners.