More than a list of names

"Night of Champions" is the glorious title they gave to our local high school's end-of-year awards night, and I believe we were all champions who endured the entire 90-minute program.

There are 1,500 students enrolled at the school, so I would be exaggerating to say that every single one got an award. It was only 459. Their names were mentioned from the podium, along with a brief description of the award. The principal had asked to suspend applause till the end, but I have never seen an audience comply with that.

On the drive home, as I was pondering a few things, like my stack of work, the human condition, and the unfortunate shift in American culture that has resulted in the situation where "all the women are strong, all the men are good-looking, and all the children are above average," I was brought up short by the Lord.

I thought of all the times that, while reading through the 66 canonical books starting with Genesis, I have skipped over the lists. The Bible is chock-full of lists. But if the Lord, in all His wisdom, included lists, perhaps I need to rethink my position.

The interminable genealogies in the first nine chapters of 1 Chronicles (all the "begots") are the official family records for the nation of Israel, after all. These are important because they prove the Old Testament claims that the Messiah Jesus would come from the line of Abraham and David (Genesis 12:1-3; 2 Samuel 7:12-13).

All in all, perhaps rosters are somnolent to me only because I do not know the people being honored. But for the parent of the child who received a certificate for doing the 200-yard medley relay, there is nothing more wonderful than the sound of his name. If I had the infinite heart capacity of God, I believe the hour and a half would have flown by.

Listen to commentaries by Andrée Seu.