As Black Americans, “We have come over the way that with tears has been watered. We have come treading our path through the blood of the slaughtered.” And we have been called many contemptuous names, like the derogatory n-word. Those of us who walk victoriously with Jesus, the One who is the true Son of God, have this divine promise…

“And I will give to each one a white stone, and on the stone will be engraved a new name that no one understands except the one who receives it?” Rev. 2:17b NLT).

A New Name

The only time in my early years that I was called something other than my given first name was when I started attending the so-called “White” school in the seventh grade under Halifax County’s experimental “Freedom of Choice” plan. I was called the n-word almost every day. But those same White kids gave me another name when we began playing football during physical education period each day.  

Please don’t judge me, but to be transparent, as a defensive linebacker, I was determined to hit anyone in front of me, especially those who had called me the n- word, as hard as I possibly could. When some of the blockers on the offensive line saw the anger and determination in my face, they would even jump aside at times to keep me from knocking them down as I rushed toward the quarterback. With enough pent-up aggression in me from being treated so unkindly, I tackled one running back, Archie Bryant, so hard that he hit the ground and broke his arm. As long as we were playing tackle football and not fighting, I knew I could hit my tormentors like a brick! Consequently, they began calling me “Brick!” My antagonizers continued calling me the n-word off the field. But on the field, I was ‘Brick.” I believe it was a sense of respect for what I brought to the game, although they did not understand my “why.” Only I fully understood why.

God promised to give each of us who is victorious over sin a new name that no one understands except the one who receives it. It just might be that the name we will receive from God written on a white stone will reflect the uniqueness of our individual struggles, trials, and journey. And not only that, but also of how we discover who we really are and handle our struggles and trials as we come to the full intimate knowledge of who Jesus is. 

As an immature 13-year-old kid battling racism, I responded angrily and aggressively under the guise of playing football. I earned a name that reflected the roughness of my response. As mature Christian believers, we must strive each day to know Him more and more, praying like David, “Cause me to hear your loving kindness in the morning, for in you do I trust; cause me to know the way in which I should walk, for I lift up my soul to you” (Ps. 143:8 NKJV).  And as we walk in the way that He leads, we come to the full knowledge of the truth, a knowledge that will cause us to know exclusively our divinely assigned new name. 

I didn’t know why my White classmates found it fun to call me N—-r. But I know fully why I was called Brick! And we will all know individually the meaning and significance of the new name God gives us in heaven!

Focus Quote: “And He said, ‘Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men and have prevailed.”      

                                           –Gen. 32:28 NKJV

Keep Standing on the Promises!

And Please  continue to join us for our 5:14 pm prayer. “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us” (1 John 5:14). Just pause and pray wherever you are. 

Dr. Alton E. Sumner

(301) 921-6060

Listening to the Soul! Lightening the Heart! Lifting the Spirit!

Built to Last!