A few years ago, my RCA television remote stopped working. I went to the local market in Phnom Penh, where I knew that if I found one replacement, I’d find a hundred more piled high in baskets.

Because of my poor eyesight, I prefer remotes with large buttons and clear letters. After some searching, I found one that looked perfect… simple, bold, easy to read. But it carried a Motorola sticker, not an RCA one.

I pointed this out to the saleslady. She smiled and assured me, “It work on any television.” I thought to myself, ‘Sure, just like the one-size-fits-all underwear you sold me last week.’

I insisted: “No good. It must say RCA.”

Without missing a beat, she peeled an RCA sticker from another remote and pressed it onto mine. “Now it work good for you,” she said.

It cost only two dollars, so I bought it, and when I tried it at home, to my surprise, it worked perfectly.

For years, I believed that only one name, Jesus, could unlock life’s mysteries and my survival. But just as that Motorola remote worked for my RCA television, I’ve discovered that other names, other paths, can also connect us to what we need.

The sticker mattered less than the function. The label mattered less than the truth.

Our world is filled with numerous labels—religious, political, and cultural—each claiming to be the only effective option for everyone. However, just like the underwear I purchased, this is far from the truth. Many of us discover that qualities like compassion, presence, and love can manifest through various names, traditions, and practices. Ultimately, what counts is not the label or brand attached, but whether it enables us to connect more clearly with life.

Maybe faith, like remotes, isn’t about the sticker at all. Maybe it’s about finding what helps us change the channel, adjust the volume, and bring clarity to the screen of our lives.