Movie Stars and Names

Now the LORD had told Samuel the previous day, "About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him to be the leader of My people, Israel. He will rescue them from the Philistines, for I have looked down on My people in mercy and have heard their cry." When Samuel saw Saul, the LORD said, "That's the man I told you about! He will rule My people." (1 Samuel 9:15-17 NLT)

I always have difficulty remembering the names of movie stars.  It's not their fault.  I have to work at remembering anyone's name.  It's just not one of my strengths.  Characters, however, I never seem to have difficulty with.  I remember the name of the characters in a play, movie, television show, or story.  So, for example, I will remember that the "President of the United States" is "Josiah Bartlett" in the old television series, "West Wing."  I won't easily remember that the actor who played that role was Martin Sheen.  (Still, today, I had to look it up.)

I'm not really sure why this phenomena happens to me.  They're both names, so it can't have anything to do with some name-blocking gene I have in my mind.  It can't have anything to do with being famous.  Martin Sheen is much more famous than a fictional character of a television program.  What is it then?  I think I'm starting to understand.

Whenever I interact with a story, I have a tendency to put myself into the action.  When I watch a fierce battle, I put myself on the battlefield fighting for good alongside all my friends.  When I watch a love story, I put myself in the shoes of the hero who wins her heart.  You get the idea.  Since I put myself in the middle of the action, I "interact" with the characters of the story in my mind.  That's why I remember their names.  I'm "talking" to them all the time as a character in the story.  Maybe this sounds a little crazy.  Maybe you do the same thing. :)

Anyway, I realized today that I tend to do that when I read Bible stories as well.  That's why I have such a difficult time reading the story when I can't pronounce the names in the story - I can't easily put myself in the middle of the action.

When I read today's story about Samuel and Saul (both names I could easily pronounce), I found myself getting in the action by making myself a character in the story.  Samuel is a prophet of God who will be telling Saul a message from God.  Saul is a tall, dark, hansom man who is about to become the God-ordained King of all Israel.  Any guesses as to which character I wanted to be?  Who would you be in this story?