Revelation 2:17 “Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it.”
“Who are you?” Most of us answer that question with our name. We could be in a crowded room having an intense conversation, but someone says our name and we turn toward the source. Never underestimate the power of a name. But, of course, who we are encompasses far more than nomenclature. Some folks spend their lives searching for their true identity.
So what’s in a name?
Take the town of Maulk Chunk. You’ve probably never heard of it. I hadn’t either until my husband and I recently visited it in northeastern Pennsylvania. It was a thriving community in the early 20th century when coal mining flourished. But as the industry died, the town started to spiral downward. Eventually, as part of an effort to revitalize and attract business, the town fathers renamed Maulk Chunk after the famous Olympian athlete, Jim Thorpe.
Interestingly, Jim Thorpe was born on an Indian reservation in Oklahoma. He had never lived in Maulk Chunk, nor had any connection to the community! But Thorpe’s body is buried in the now flourishing town, alongside a memorial in his honor.
There’s nothing new about name changes. Celebrities do it all the time in attempts to make themselves more attractive to audiences. I grew up in southern Ohio where our claim-to-fame resided in being the birthplace of cowboy/actor Roy Rogers. His birth name: Leonard Sly. Audrey Hepburn was born Edda Kathleen van Heemstra Hepburn-Ruston and Robert Allen Zimmerman famously changed his name to Bob Dylan.
I don’t know how surprised the folks of Maulk Chunk or Bob Dylan were when they experienced the impact of a name change. But one thing is certain. The new name promised to faithful followers of Christ far surpasses anything we could imagine (Revelation 2:17).
That new name reflects victory over our old nature. It bears the fingerprint of our Creator and pulsates with life-giving purpose. It’s what makes us unique individuals, giving us the assurance that who we are matters. And like the picturesque town of Jim Thorpe, it’s something beautiful.
Don’t miss it, my fellow seeker.