Classic Example of Faith Coupled with Works

The closest I ever got to Dolly Parton was last week, having one of my posts in the same edition of Chattanoogan.com as the news of her passing. Of course, I saw her on TV and in films, and visited her Dollywood theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., but my knowledge of Dolly was secondhand, as it was for most folks. So, I can’t write about her from personal experience. 

But from all accounts, the unique, larger-than-life, immensely talented Dolly left her mark in countless ways. Born and raised in the Smoky Mountains, her determination served to lift her from poverty to fame and fortune most of us can’t even imagine. Her fierce resolve became an inspiration for countless fans.

 

Her professional resume was impressive: Hall of fame singer and songwriter, actress, entrepreneur, author, philanthropist. The list goes on. If one were to select a favorite from Dolly’s hit songs, there would be many from which to choose.

 

For me, what stands out most is that she was a woman of faith. In many of her interviews Dolly spoke about her sense of calling, that God had anointed her for a special purpose and she was determined to fulfill it. Part of this was being an entertainer known for her iconic hairdos, figure, distinctive voice, ever-present smile and upbeat spirit. But she also fully understood the value and importance of what we often hear referred to as “paying it forward” – and living out her faith.

 

Her father was illiterate, and Dolly recognized how being able to read is a key ingredient in the recipe for success. So, she made it a personal mission to empower children to learn how to read and appreciate the joys of reading. This led to establishing her Imagination Library, which has gifted more than 330 million books to more than three million children in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Ireland and Australia.

 

A story about her that I love began in 1988. According to the account, she went to a school in Sevier County – her home county in East Tennessee – and had every 7^th and 8^th grader come into a room. She instructed each to pick a buddy and had them all sign a contract: If both graduated from high school, both would receive a check for $500. If either failed, neither would get paid. Each child would be accountable to the other.

 

Before Dolly made this offer, the county’s school dropout rate was 35 percent. Motivated by the financial reward, students encouraged one another and most stayed in school, lowering the dropout rate to six percent. And she kept her promise, presenting the checks to each young person herself.

 

The next year she gave $500 to every student in the county who wanted to attend the local college. In 2016, when much of nearby Gatlinburg was ravaged by terrible fires, Dolly sent 900 families who’d been affected $1,000 a month for six months. Then, because a charitable fund for fire victims raised much more than expected, she gave each family an additional $5,000.

 

She spearheaded the building of a hospital in Sevier County that included a birthing unit and women’s center. One year she paid the full cost of college tuition, books and fees for every Dollywood employee. Dolly donated $1 million for the aid of victims of Hurricane Helene in North Carolina, and her companies matched it. 

 

There were many other significant acts of benevolence, certainly some that received no public notice. But what stands out is not the dollar amount of Dolly’s generosity, but the fact that she put feet to her faith.

 

We live in an age when many prominent individuals – especially in the entertainment industry – talk about the poor and the oppressed, all the while living in the secure confines of their palatial estates. All talk and very little action. Dolly Parton, however, saw needs and used her substantial resources to help in meeting them. Her faith, as well as never forgetting her impoverished upbringing, were among her motivators.

 

In the New Testament book of James, we read, “What good is it, my brothers, if a [person] claims to have faith but has no deeds?... In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead” (James 2:14-17).

 

The Bible clearly teaches that we are not saved by good works, but solely by God’s grace, based on Jesus Christ’s atoning sacrifice on the cross for our sins. From what I’ve read and heard, Dolly Parton understood that. However, she also recognized she was a steward, not only of her talents but also of the material wealth the Lord had enabled her to accumulate.

 

Few people will ever acquire even a fraction of the financial resources Dolly had, but that doesn’t matter. We’re responsible only for what God provides, just as the servants were accountable for what their master had entrusted to them in the parable Jesus told in Matthew 25:14-30. The servants that had faithfully put to use what they had been given were rewarded with more, along with the commendation, “Well done, good and faithful servant!”

 

The principle is stated at the end of the passage: “For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him” (Matthew 25:29). In other words, if we prove ourselves faithful in using whatever God has entrusted to us, He will entrust us with more that we can use for His glory.

 

I suspect that as Dolly arrived at the gates of Heaven, she heard two things: “Hello, Dolly!” And “Well done, good and faithful servant!”

How to Begin When You Don’t Know Where to Start

How do you read the Bible – if at all? One of the common questions asked by people who’ve never seriously read the Scriptures is, “Where do I start?” There are many approaches and many possible suggestions, some better than others. 

 

One is to start at the beginning and attempt to read to the end. That’s certainly one way, and I’ve done that. In fact, it was how I read through the Bible when I was a senior in high school. I’d heard about people reading the Scriptures in their entirety, and out of curiosity decided to give it a try. I succeeded but didn’t understand much of what I read. When I finished Revelation, the last of the 66 books in the Bible, I put it on my bookshelf and thought, ‘Well, I’ve read the Bible. Now what should I read?’ How little I knew.

 

If someone were to ask me how to read the Bible, I wouldn’t recommend the front-to-back approach, at least initially. Genesis and Exodus are primarily narratives and relatively straight-forward, but it’s easy to get lost in the “weeds” of Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy and become discouraged.

 

Many folks would suggest reading one of the four gospels – Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Especially John, since it’s the most theological and clearly communicates how to experience a genuine, growing relationship with God.

 

Over the years, one of my most rewarding practices in reading the Bible has been to read the entire book of Proverbs over the course of a month, one chapter a day that matches the date of the month. There are 31 chapters, so the one-a-day strategy works perfectly for January, March, May, July, August, October and December. The other months require reading more than one chapter on a day or two.

 

I’ve even read one chapter of Proverbs every day for an entire year, going through it 12 times over that span. “Isn’t that kind of repetitive?” someone might ask. But as I’ve said before, reading the Bible is similar to peeling an onion. You remove one layer and find another just beneath it. Each time I’ve a portion of the Scriptures, whether Proverbs or another book, I’ve discovered things that didn’t register the previous time. Here are just a few examples:

 

When we’re younger, life is filled with unending potential and limitless promise. Our strength and energy feel boundless. As we grow older, however, our capacities start to diminish. There are days when it seems our “get up and go” simply got up and went. But there’s a plus side to aging. We gain experience and wisdom; we learn some things that seemed so important really aren’t, and that things that didn’t seem important really are.

 

So, a verse like Proverbs 20:29 helps to put things into perspective: “The glory of young men is their strength, gray hair the splendor of the old.” Gray hair and wrinkles don’t necessarily mean the person possessing them is wise. Young fools sometimes grow up to be old fools. But most of the time we find we’ve learned much from our successes and failures – especially our failures.

 

Going back just a few verses we find another insight that resonates strongly, especially for those of us who have gone through the highs and lows of everyday living. Proverbs 20:24 states, “A man’s steps are directed by the Lord. How then can anyone understand his own way?”

 

Proverbs 3:5-6, which I’ve adopted as my ‘life verse,’ expresses the same idea a bit differently: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.”

 

Recently I was talking with a younger man I’ve been mentoring, and he was explaining how his work situation had suddenly taken a dramatic and unexpected turn. The upshot of it has been accepting a totally different job.

 

I tried to encourage him, recalling how my own career path has taken some decidedly surprising turns. Ultimately, I could see how perfectly God was guiding me, confirming as Ephesians 3:20 says, He is “…able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think….” His plans for me and my family were far greater and more rewarding than anything I could have imagined.

 

One more example from Proverbs speaks to a way of bringing calm to a tense situation: “For lack of wood the fire goes out, and where there is no whisperer, quarreling ceases. As charcoal is to hot embers and wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife” (Proverbs 26:20-21). Can you think of any contemporary applications for this?

 

TV commentators, social media, public gatherings and casual conversations can all serve to stir up hostilities if we let them. Our impulse might even be to add fuel to the fire. The choice is ours. As Proverbs 15:1 states, “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”

 

These all were compiled thousands of years ago, and yet are so practical and relevant they could have been written yesterday.

Getting back to where we started, there are many ways to start reading the Bible. The important thing is, if you’re not doing it already, simply start and see where the Lord leads you. And if you’re still undecided, just look at today’s date and read the corresponding chapter of Proverbs. You’ll find an unlimited fountain of wisdom. 

We Can’t Have One Without the Other

At first, it took me by surprise, even as a shock. But I’ve discovered there are pockets within the Christian community where it’s being taught there’s really no need to worry about what God says in the Old Testament. That all we need to know for following Jesus Christ is contained in the New Testament. 

Not naming names, but even some prominent preachers are telling their congregations to disregard Old Testament teachings. A post I wrote recently received a comment to that effect. The person stated, “the Ten Commandments aren’t Christian, have never bound Gentiles, and the apostles were clear that Gentiles who become Christians are not…under the law of Moses.”

 

Part of the problem, I suspect, is that Old Testament law has traditionally been divided by theologians into three main categories – moral, ceremonial, and civil (or judicial). Ceremonial laws deal with religious worship, ritual purity, and the sacrificial system. It’s true many of those laws were intended specifically for the people of ancient Israel. These would include dietary restrictions, animal sacrifices, annual festivals to be observed, and physical circumcision. 

 

Many modern-day Jews continue to honor certain dietary laws and religious observances. As for the symbolic animal sacrifices, Jesus’s death on the cross eliminated the need for those. And most followers of Jesus don’t practice dietary restrictions for religious purposes. 

 

However, moral and civil laws presented in the Old Testament remain just as valid today as they were thousands of years ago. Civil law provided the rules that governed Israel as a distinct national community and society, and many of these same laws were instrumental to the forming of the United States, being reflected in the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

 

For instance, those laws concerned restitution, courtroom testimony, guilt and innocence, provisions for people in need, and many other things. To this day, such principles have helped maintain the United States as the unique nation it is. Laws established by God are timeless, reflecting the fallenness of humankind and the necessity for establishing guidelines for conduct, both individually and collectively.

 

Perhaps most important are the moral laws given in the Old Testament, which reflect God’s unchanging holiness and character. This is where the Ten Commandments are especially pertinent. In fact, Jesus alluded to them specifically. 

 

One day a member of the Pharisees, a group of religious leaders and teachers, confronted Him: “‘Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?’ Jesus replied, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:34-40).

 

Without listing them individually, Jesus was referring to the Ten Commandments, as found in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5.The first four concern our relationship with God – to love Him foremost; not to worship idols; not to take His name in vain, and to observe a weekly Sabbath day. The remaining six, including honoring parents, not murdering, not committing adultery, not stealing, not lying, and not coveting what others have, concern how we relate to one another.

 

Another time Jesus made clear His attitude was not, “Well, that was then. This is now.” Rather, He declared His purpose was to be the fulfillment of the laws and prophecies God gave in the Old Testament. In His Sermon on the Mount, He stated, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will be any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished” (Matthew 5:17-18). 

 

Jesus then proceeded to address a number of important moral and legal issues, including murder and malice, adultery, keeping promises, seeking revenge, loving adversaries, and giving to the needy, all of which were addressed in the Old Testament.

 

But the priceless truths of the Old Testament go far beyond the commandments and regulations God prescribed. We learn just as much about His character there as we do in the New Testament. His promises there apply just as much for us today as they did for the ancient Israelites. They speak of His love, faithfulness, perfection, omnipresence, omnipotence, omniscience, justice, righteousness, and assurances of His unfailing care and provision.

 

In 1 John 4:16 we’re told that “God is love,” and we see that embodied in Christ – His teachings, actions during His earthly ministry, His sacrificial death, and His resurrection. But we dare not forget that God also is holy and just, intolerant of sin, and unwaveringly determined to mete out justice in His perfect way and time. The Old Testament reveals this so clearly.

 

The refrain from an old song said, “love and marriage, they go together like a horse and carriage…. You can’t have one without the other.” It could just as easily have said, “go together like the Old Testament and the New Testament” (except it wouldn’t have rhymed). You can’t have one without the other.

Understanding Why We Should Be Working

Writers, for the most part, are strange birds. I know, because I’m one of them. You might say we’re made of “the write stuff.” For many of us, writing is nearly as natural as breathing. It’s part of the fabric of our being, perhaps much like a thoroughbred horse that’s made to run or a handyman who feels frustrated if there’s nothing to fix. 

A longtime friend, also a journalist, reminded me of this when he cited a Latin phrase I’d not seen before. It is, “Nulla dies sine linea,” which means, “not a day without a line.” He noted this is his practice, rarely going a day without writing in some form. I’m much the same. Whenever I go any length of time without writing, it’s like going without eating. Just gotta do it.

 

In my case, writing has always been a way to conceptualize my thoughts, more effective than speaking them out loud. I’ve often said, when preparing to sit down at a keyboard, “I can’t wait to see what I’ve got to say.” Even in the days when I was staring at a typewriter rather than a computer, placing my fingers on the keys has been like turning on a switch in my brain.

 

For me, writing is more than a vocation, certainly more than just a hobby. I’ve come to regard it as a calling. I’m not sure I felt that way during my days as a newspaper editor, but that was my conclusion after I had become involved in vocational Christian ministry. Years ago, I came across a Bible passage that I adopted as my ‘career verse’ because it sums up how I feel. In the New King James Version it reads, “My heart is overflowing with a good theme; I recite my composition concerning the King; my tongue is the pen of a ready writer” (Psalm 45:1).

 

In books I’ve written and edited, magazine articles I wrote, and the devotional meditations and blog posts I write today, my motivation has been to honor God and seek to communicate biblical truth, showing how relevant and practical it is for everyday living.

 

Of course, most people aren’t writers. I’ve lost count of the times people have told me how much they admire people who can write with any competence. “I can’t write. If I tried to write anything, it would take me all day,” they’ve often said. My response is that I struggle to do just about anything else. I’m mechanically challenged, and I’d regard a profession like that of an accountant, attorney or salesperson as daunting, if not terrifying.

 

But the principle applies to any form of work people find themselves doing. Whether it’s parenting, working in a retail store, cutting down trees, working with patients in a hospital, repairing a leaking faucet, teaching a class, or functioning in an executive position, we should have a singular motivation.

 

I think the apostle Paul expressed it best. He wrote, “And whatever we do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him…. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving” (Colossians 3:17, 23-24).

 

We don’t need to be in a sanctified setting like a church sanctuary to put God in the forefront of our minds and actions. Followers of Jesus Christ are called to serve as His representatives wherever we go and whatever we find ourselves doing. As Jesus admonished in Matthew 5:16, “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

 

Whether you’re wielding the pen of a ready writer, the wrench of a ready plumber or the computer of a ready IT specialist, the Lord wants us to shine His light and bring honor to Him.

Overcoming the Enemies of Contentment

Suppose you were hired for a job and told the company had established 10 rules that had to be abided by without exceptions. Would you accept the job?

 

As long as the rules were reasonable, most of us would. Unless the rules were something like being required to work 100 hours a week, not being allowed to take any breaks or eat lunch, or doing something illegal. Virtually every job comes with certain rules. Some require wearing of uniforms or a specific dress code. Employers rightfully expect employees to arrive for work on time, and often give them detailed job descriptions. Without rules there would be chaos.

 

For many years it was not uncommon to find the Ten Commandments displayed at workplaces. We can still see them in some of the federal buildings in Washington, D.C., as well as government buildings in some states. But as someone has quipped, having the Ten Commandments in plain sight can create a hostile working environment for some folks.

 

Actually, the commandments are fairly straight-forward, as presented in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5. The first four deal with one’s relationship with God: Have no other gods but the Lord; don’t worship idols; don’t take God’s name in vain; keep the Sabbath as a day of rest.

 

The other six concern relationships with one another: Give honor and respect for one’s parents; don’t commit murder; don’t commit adultery; don’t steal things that aren’t yours; always tell the truth; and don’t covet other people’s stuff. Nothing in that list seems unreasonable, does it? But try as we might, we break one or more of those commands every day in thought, word and/or deed.

 

Each commandment is worthy of exposition to explore why God saw fit to include it in the “Top 10” list. But perhaps the one we hear about the least is the last, which says:

“You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife. You shall not set your desire on your neighbor’s house or land, his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor” (Deuteronomy 5:21).

 

It’s not much of a mystery why the Lord inserted this one among the Ten Commandments. It’s hard to establish a healthy, trusting relationship with others when you are intensely coveting – or desiring – the things they possess. But the practice of “comparing ourselves with the Joneses” is something most of us have engaged in probably more than once.

 

Maybe a neighbor always seems to be driving a new car loaded with all the accessories. Their home might be the envy of everyone on the street. Photos they regularly post on social media about their latest exotic trip might cause us to wonder why we don’t get to travel as they do. Or they might have the seemingly picture-perfect marriage, their kids are the most mannerly, and they attend the very best schools. What’s wrong with coveting things like that?

 

There are many reasons, but perhaps foremost is that coveting is the enemy of a trait that should be evident in our lives if we are followers of Jesus Christ: Contentment. Writing to his young protégé, Timothy, the apostle Paul declared, “godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it” (1 Timothy 6:6-7).

 

What kind of witness for Christ can we be if we’re obviously jealous or envious of other people’s lives and what they have?

 

Of course, we live in a society that bombards us with messages discouraging contentment, saying what we have isn’t enough, that no matter how much we have we need more. This flies against biblical teachings that God is the one who provides us with what we need. As Paul wrote in another letter, “And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).

 

To covet what someone else has that we don’t is like complaining to the Lord that He hasn’t been good enough or kind enough to us, that if He really loved us He’d give us more.

 

Jesus warned against such thinking. He said, “…do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear…. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek His kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well” (Luke 12:22,30-31).

 

What about people who aren’t committed to following Christ? They might clearly be living contrary to God’s design, and yet they’re prospering, seemingly happy as they could be. What’s up with that? 

 

King David of Israel, who experienced more than his share of opposition and adversity during his lifetime, apparently wondered about this as well. His conclusion: “Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong; for like grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away” (Psalm 37:1).

Surrounded by enemies of contentment, we’d be wise to take to heart Paul’s advice to Timothy: “But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that” (1 Timothy 6:8). 

Enduring the Weight of Having to Wait

Homophones are words that sound the same but are spelled differently and have different meanings. Take ‘wait’ and ‘weight,’ for example. In one sense, however, it’s appropriate that they sound the same because having to wait when we’re in a hurry, or anxious, or impatient can feel like a great weight upon our shoulders. 

There are many places and times when we must endure the weight of waiting: grocery store checkout lines; slow traffic lights – or driving behind slow drivers; needing to mail an important package at the post office. Or realizing why we’re called ‘patients’ at a doctor's office, having to exercise patience – another homophone, by the way.

 

I still recall the waiting I had to endure on Christmas Eve as a boy. My sleepless night seemed unending. I wondered if the clock was running in reverse. I couldn’t wait until morning – but I had no choice.

 

One of the problems with waiting is it makes us feel we’re not in control. Which, in many cases, is true. But we live in a “can-do” culture, and waiting seems more like “I can’t do.” We’re all about taking action, doing what needs to be done. Frank Sinatra used to sing, “I Did It My Way.” Motivational speakers declare, “If you can conceive it and believe it, you can achieve it.” They never say, “Wait for it….”

 

Our nation was founded and developed by explorers, innovators and entrepreneurs who claimed they had, “pulled themselves up by their own bootstraps.” (Have you ever tried that? It’s not easy to do!) Self-realization and self-reliance are the mantra for many successful people. Waiting, on the other hand, isn’t a prerequisite. It’s not even encouraged.

 

However, when it comes to this daily journey we call the Christian life, waiting’s very much a part of the process. In fact, there are times when it feels as if God has placed us in His “waiting room,” our number is 95, and He’s only on number 6.

 

Through the years, Psalm 37 has been one of my favorite Bible passages. It’s been especially meaningful when praying and seeking the Lord’s guidance about making a major career change. I’d read the psalm and find comfort, reassurance, and a timely reminder – that He’s in charge and I’m not.

 

I was all about the first part of the psalm, which fits the “can-do” spirit we know so well. The third verse admonishes us to “Trust in the Lord and do good.” I’d read that and think, ‘Yeah, I can do that!’ Then verse 4 says, “Delight yourself in the Lord.” I’d think, ‘I can do that, too!’ That’s followed up by one more directive in verse 5: “Commit yourself to the Lord.” Without hesitation I’d think, ‘Yep, I can do that, too! Now, can we move on with Your answer, Lord?’

 

Trust. Do good. Delight. Commit. All strong action verbs. No problem, right? If that’s what God wants me to do, let’s go!

 

But then I’d come to Psalm 37:7, which seems like jamming on the brakes while speeding down the highway. It instructs us to, “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him.” What?! I’m good with all the stuff I’m told to be doing, but why do I have to wait?

 

This admonition isn’t a mistake or misprint. In fact, it’s repeated twice in the same psalm, just in case we missed it the first time. Verse 9 assures us, “But those who wait for the Lord, they will inherit the land.” Then, verse 34 says: “Wait for the Lord and keep His way.”

 

To be clear, this doesn’t mean we’re to sit like a lump on the couch, passively waiting for something to happen. But it does mean recognizing that when we’ve done everything we know to do, we’ve run out of ideas and options, then it’s time to be patient, wait, and as we’re told in another of the psalms, “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).

 

Waiting is rarely easy, but it gives us the opportunity to trust in what the Lord is doing and, many times, to marvel at the incredible ways He works. When we “let go and let God,” as they say, we can experience Him doing, “exceeding abundantly more than anything we could ask or imagine,” as Ephesians 3:20 asserts. 

 

Once we’ve done our part, we can wait and release the weight to the Lord. Then we can see Him doing His part – often much more than we could have asked or even hoped for. He’s done this in my life more times than I could count – and with the benefit of hindsight, I’d not have it any other way.

Living Up to (Or Down to) Your Name

What’s in someone’s name? Does it really matter? Actually, selecting a name for a child can be a big deal, maybe even more than we realize. Because it’s something the boy or girl must live with the rest of their life. When’s the last time you met a little girl named Jezebel, or a little boy named Judas?

 

Years ago, especially during the hippie era, some parents would select whimsical names for their kids, like Moonbeam, Summer Rain, Dandelion, or Apple. (That last one never ap-peeled to me.) In a documentary series about some pro football players I saw recently, one of them named his newborn son Maverick. Maybe because the athlete’s a bit of a maverick himself.

 

Remember the Johnny Cash song, “A Boy Named Sue”? It’s about a dad who named his son Sue before abandoning the family, reasoning, “this world is rough, and if a man’s gonna make it, he’s gotta be tough.” A boy with that name would definitely have to be tough to withstand the ridicule he’d face growing up.

 

In the Bible, names often carry great significance. In fact, God sometimes bestowed new names to match changed circumstances. Abram became Abraham, reflecting the Lord’s promise he would be “the father of many nations” (Genesis 17:5). His wife, Sarai, became Sarah, signifying she would be “the mother of nations” (Genesis 17:15-16). 

 

Jacob became Israel, “because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome” (Genesis 32:28). Jesus Christ told his headstrong disciple Simon he would have a new name, Peter, adding, “on this rock I will build My church…” (Matthew 16:18).

 

One of the most beautiful names in the Scriptures is Immanuel. It’s cited first in Isaiah 7:14 and then in Matthew 1:23, referring to the Messiah. It means, “God with us.” God taking on human flesh in the person of Jesus Christ.

 

But one of the more curious names in the Bible is that of an obscure fellow named Jabez, which in Hebrew means, “sorrowful,” “painful” or “he causes pain.” He’s only mentioned in 1 Chronicles 4:9-10, which states:

“Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, ‘I gave birth to him in pain.’ Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, ‘Oh, that You would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let Your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.’ And God granted his request” (1 Chronicles 4:9-10).

 

His mom might as well have been calling him “pain in the neck.” We don’t have any specifics, whether his was a particularly difficult birth, or perhaps he might have been a handful from his first moments of life outside the womb. In any event, this was a guy saddled with a name that everyone knew meant, “he causes pain.” Can you imagine growing up like that?

 

Think of a parent constantly haranguing a child, saying things like, “You’re stupid!” or, “You’ll never amount to anything!” The old – and very inaccurate – saying declared, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me.” In reality, harsh names and negative words often hang with us long after physical injuries have healed.

 

No wonder Jabez cried out to God, pleading for His blessing. He apparently didn’t get that from his mom. The good news is simple: the Lord granted his request, although the passage doesn’t explain in what ways that happened. We do know he was “more honorable than his brothers.”

 

What about for us? You might have a name you’ve cherished, perhaps one that’s been passed down through your family. Or maybe you’ve been named after a favorite relative. Or you may have a name you never liked, to the extent you’ve gone by your middle name instead – or by your initials or a nickname.

 

For followers of Christ, whether we enjoy our present name or not, we’re promised one day we’ll receive a brand-new name. In Isaiah 62:2, speaking specifically of Jerusalem, God says through the prophet, “you will be called by a new name which the mouth of the Lord will designate.” We see this demonstrated through the renaming of biblical patriarchs like Abraham, Israel and Peter.

 

In the last book of the Bible, we’re told that one day we all will experience something similar: “To the one who overcomes, I will give the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone inscribed with a new name, known only to the one who receives it” (Revelation 2:17).

Hopefully you don’t have a name like Jabez, which always reminded people that he had been a pain in the neck in one way or another. But whether we like our name or loathe it, we can look forward one day to receiving a name from the Lord that He’s specially selected just for us alone. In the meantime, we know He regards us as, “…My people, who are called by My name…” (2 Chronicles 7:14).