Currently, I work at a tutoring center with a lot of children who do not have the same cultural or religious background as me. They come in and generally work hard.
But you can see in their eyes that they don’t really trust you. Some are sure you are better than them – not true! Many are sure they are better than you – that actually may be true! OK, not really, as we are all equal in God’s eyes.
The best way I have found to get through to the toughest ones, or at least gain the smallest amount of credibility to then build on, is to learn how to say their names as close as possible to the way they say them.
The joyful surprise that comes over their face when you put in a good effort is priceless!
I suppose that is why God makes such a big deal about names in the Bible.
