Names Or Numbers?
In 2019, Netflix released a documentary entitled “The Black Godfather.” The documentary follows the life of Clarence Avant, who was considered by many as “the ultimate, uncensored mentor and behind-the-scenes rainmaker in music, film, TV and politics.” Although the charismatic Mr. Avant died earlier this year, the documentary remains a must watch for anyone interested in learning how the world really works and some of the tools, tactics and techniques necessary to make a difference in it.
Despite his enormous savvy and success, I took issue with one of the axioms that Mr. Avant shared. While discussing a deal he negotiated for Hank Aaron (who broke Major League Baseball’s record for the most home runs in 1974, a record that now belongs to Barry Bonds), Avant said that he had to explain to Mr. Aaron that “life comes down to a number.” That philosophy seems to have guided Mr. Avant’s career. And it undoubtedly contains ample truth.
Numbers are incredibly important. Consider just how much of our collective time, energy and attention is focused on numbers. As soon as we are born, we are given a social security number. The most commonly reported number in America is the Dow Industrial Jones Average (the average of the stock price of the 30 most valuable publicly traded companies in the world). Numbers are everywhere! Zip codes, license plates, birthdays—all numbers. We have telephone numbers. We measure diamonds by the number of carats, intelligence by the number of our IQ, and health by the number of our waistline. A product is considered successful by how many units sold (a number) and social media impact is determined by how many likes, followers, and friends (all numbers). Our credit score is a number, and most of us have a magic number of how old we want to be when we get married, have children, or retire. Numbers are incredibly important. There is even an entire book of the Bible called—you guessed it—Numbers. Given the prevalence, priority and pervasiveness of numbers, it seems reasonable to conclude that Mr. Avant’s philosophy is bulletproof. Perhaps life does come down to a number.
And yet, I remain unconvinced. My doubts about this philosophy were perhaps most eloquently expressed by Albert Einstein, who once observed that “everything that counts can’t be counted, and everything that can be counted doesn’t count.” I don’t think life comes down a number. I think life comes down to a few names. When I look at the critical events, decisive moments, and turning points of my more than half a century on this earth, names figure much more prominently than numbers.
Yes, there is an entire book in the Bible called numbers. But it is only one of 66 others that comprise the book. According to one estimate, there are 3,237 names in the Bible. And I think that statistic points to the fact that God is much more interested in people than products, percentages or profits. As one writer put it, behind every name in scripture is an “adventure, a romance, and a drama.” Behind every name is a story, and stories rule the world. Numbers are quantitative. Names are qualitative. Numbers are fixed. Names are fluid. Numbers define. Names create. Numbers are a great servant. But I think they are a poor master.
One of the patterns we repeatedly observe in scripture is that a person’s name is changed after they have an encounter in God. The changing of someone’s name signified the profound and often dramatic transformation that occurs whenever divinity touches humanity. Jacob was among the many who had this experience. After wrestling with God one night as he confronted his past, Jacob was told by an angel in Genesis 32:28 that
Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.
Instead of wrestling with God to change our numbers, perhaps we should wrestle with God to change our names. Changing your numbers may make you rich. But changing your name will make you wealthy. Changing your numbers may get you a bigger house. But changing your name will make you a better home. Changing your numbers may grant you power with man. But changing your name will grant you power with God and man.