Faithfully yours - God knows your name - not your number
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- Published on Saturday, June 6, 2015
By Neil Strohschein
The Neepawa Banner
I don鈥檛 carry many cards in my wallet. I only carry the ones I need for work or for identification when asked to produce it (which isn鈥檛 all that often any more).
One card has been with me for 46 years. It is made of white plastic, with a red border. In the center of the card, in large type is a number鈥攏ine numerals in three groups of three numerals each. My name is printed beneath it. That number is my Social Insurance Number.
The federal government introduced the SIN in 1964. It was to be a Client Services number, used to keep track of contributions to the Canada Pension Plan and various government insurance programs. In 1967, Revenue Canada adopted the SIN for tax reporting purposes. Plastic cards like the one I have were phased out in March 2014 to help prevent identity theft.
Since 1967, thanks to something called 鈥渇unctionality creep,鈥� Canada鈥檚 SIN has evolved into a universal identification number that we use to access all government programs. Our federal and provincial governments no longer identify us by name. They identify us by number. Every transaction we have with government鈥攑aying taxes, getting refunds, claiming CPP or EI benefits, getting a passport, etc.鈥攊s tied to that number we鈥檝e had since we were young.
Now don鈥檛 get me wrong. Social Insurance Numbers have their place. They greatly reduce the possibility, for example, that the payroll deductions your employer remits to Revenue Canada will be credited to another person whose name is the same as yours. Likewise, when you apply for pension benefits, your SIN gives the person processing your application the ability to quickly access your contribution history and calculate the monthly payment to which you are entitled.
Having a number is one thing. Being treated like one is quite another. Sadly, there are times when people with legitimate needs seek help from government; but the treatment they receive is harsh, cruel and so lacking in genuine care and concern that the needy person says: 鈥淚鈥檓 just a number to them. Nothing more鈥攋ust a number.鈥�
We鈥檝e all felt that way at times鈥攁nd not just after trying in vain to secure help from a government agency. Sometimes those closest to us鈥攎embers of our own families鈥攃an treat us the same way. So can people in business, community organizations and even the church. All of these groups are formed by and run by people. And sometimes the people closest to us will treat us as though we are just a number. It鈥檚 not nice, nor is it right, but it happens.
Are you ready for some good news? Here it is. The God who created you knows you by your name. He knows you as the unique person you are. He knows you better than a dozen best friends will ever know you. He was present when you were conceived in your mother鈥檚 womb; and like the caring shepherd about whom Jesus spoke in John鈥檚 gospel chapter 10, he has been with you ever since鈥攚atching over you, looking out for you and caring for you.
When you seek his assistance, the help God provides will be tailor-made to your unique needs. He will give you what you need, in the amounts you need for as long as you need it. And as your needs change, so will his supply of those needs. God will never treat you in ways that make you think you鈥檙e just a number, nothing more. God knows your name鈥攏ot your number.
