Share a Coke

It's crazy how excited I become when I see or hear the name Joel. My parents gave me that strong Biblical name. Now pair Joel with David and I know I've crossed some kind of line. 

Chances are you get a little excited when you see your name also. Otherwise, Coke wouldn't be spending millions of dollars on their recent "Share a Coke" campaign. They understand the power found in a name. And not just any name, but your name. 

My family came across the Share a Coke tour. Kiosks were set up so that you could personalize a can with your name on it. Not only that but you could do two cans for free! One for you and one for a friend. 

Coke recognizes seeing your name on a can makes you feel special. They know that personalization is a way of life for us. And they want to share in people connecting with their stories through the use of social media. 

(Check out this article about the tour http://www.coca-colacompany.com/stories/summer-of-sharing-share-a-coke-campaign-rolls-out-in-the-us#TCCC.)

We love seeing and hearing our names. Perhaps it's egotistical or perhaps it's just part of our nature. 

Think about how you go nuts when a toddler is first learning to talk and they say your name. If you could bottle all that sweetness up, you could put Coke out of business (not that you would want to because Coke is stinking awesome).

Or think about how hurt or annoyed you feel when someone can't remember your name. You feel left out, unimportant, and small. 

That's why it amazes me that God knows my name. The Creator knows who I am. Jesus knows who I am and has said my name. God knows my name and has called me out. Not only that but he has written my name in a book that one day will give me access to eternal life with him. He knows your name too. Crazy, huh?

I don't think there is anything egotistical about enjoying our name. (Otherwise, every woman in the South would be condemn due to the overuse of monogramming. Seriously, they monogram everything!) 

Names are important as seen throughout scripture. For example, there is no name under heaven by which we can be saved but by Jesus. That's pretty dang important. Or how people were given their names (don't get me started on that Jabez and his prayer) or given new names.

Your name is one place where you receive affirmation and acceptance. We need those. (Maybe more on this later this week.) God made us this way and that is one reason why there is an importance on names. 

Coke has brilliantly found a way to connect with their consumer and then reconnect with their stories in social media. Surprisingly, it's in the most simple of ways through connecting with us with the first thing ever given to us--our name. Not surprisingly, God does the same. 

Have you found your name on a Coke bottle?

(Sorry for any grammatical errors. I typed this post on my phone.)