Names

Billy Graham, George Beverly Shea, and Ethel Waters visited my childhood home through the "magic" of televised broadcasts of the Billy Graham Crusades. Ethel Waters singing "His Eye is on the Sparrow" punctuate my memory with her alto voice and deep pauses. The gospel song references Jesus' words in Matthew:

God's eye is on the weaverbird

Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father [and Mother] feed them. Are you not of more value than they? (Matt. 6:26)

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father's [and Mother's] will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. (Matt. 10:29-31) 

Yes, I am comforted by the knowledge that God cares for the birds He and She have created. I am comforted that God knows me so well as to know how many hairs are on my head.

But lately I have found comfort in the lists of people. Today's reading (September 9) in The One Year Chronological Bible listed the names of the families returning to Jerusalem from the exile. The book of Ezra boasts fifty-five verses of names: "The family of Parosh; The family of Shephatiah; The family or Arah..."

That took me back to Genesis 10 and 11 and listing of Noah's descendants ("The descendants of Japheth were Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal..."). After the escape from Egypt, Moses directs a census of the people. Names and numbers of family members spill across the pages of the book of Numbers, beginning in chapter 1: "...From Reuben, Elizur the son of Shedeur; from Simeon, Shelumiel, the son of Zurishaddai...." God instructs Moses to take a second census (Numbers 26), and names march across the next 63 verses.

Names fill the first nine chapters of 1 Chronicles. The writer records name upon name with only an occasional hint of story ("Achar, the troubler of Israel, who transgressed in the matter of the devoted thing," and "Caleb the son of Hezron had children by his wife Azubah, and by Jerioth; and these were her sons..."). Priests and musicians each get their own chapters in 2 Chronicles while the gatekeepers and civil servants share chapters 26 and 27.

Names. Name upon name. There are plenty of historical, anthropological, and theological explanations for these lists. But I find it comforting that God considers each of these specific families and each of the these names to be so important. God considers each of these people to be so important to inspire human beings to include these names in holy scriptures.

I used to skim over these lists of names whenever I came upon them. Now I discipline myself to read each name as an individual, as if I were reading names of my own parents and grandparents, family members and friends. Each name breathes into our shared story. Each name confirms that God's eye is on the sparrow.

God's eye is on "Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah, "the daughters of Zeolphehad, the son of Hepher, son of Gilead, son of Machir, son of Manasseh" (Numbers 27: 1:1). And God's eye is on Ann, Anneli, Amy,... Ben, Brian, Butoto,... Calvin, Carl, Corin,...  Darrah, Dick, Donna,... Elsa, Eric, Esther,... Faustin, Faden, Frank,...  Jensi, Jon, Josias,... Heather, Henry, Heretier,... Jensi, Jessica, Jolie,...  Katsongo, Kavira, Kinangani,... Lindsday, Lisa, Louann,... Manassé, Meredith, Molly, ... and me.

Thanks be to God.



Video from 1957 Billy Graham Crusade. Ethel Waters introduced and begins singing at 9:21.

Ethel Waters sings "His Eye is on the Sparrow" in 1975.