What's Your Nickname?

Got a nickname?  Mine is Blainemonster.  Picked it up back in Bible college from a good friend named Jonathan who is now a pastor, as I am.  In fact, it was Jonathan that not only bestowed the title "Blainemonster" on me, but also the name of "Brettmonster" on our mutual buddy Brett.  Brett is now a missionary, but when we see each other, the "monster" always comes out. 

I'm not really sure why Jonathan dubbed the two of us monsters - it might have been because of the way we worked so hard at putting a new roof on the church we were renovating during that long, hot summer in Shreveport back in 1989.  Whatever the reason, it's a funny nickname for us both, because neither one of us has the disposition to merit such a title as "monster."  Honestly, we're both fairly reserved, and you might even say gentle.  But I'll take "monster" over "bunny" if I have to have an appendage on my name...

For my part, anyway, the moniker stuck and has become my name wherever I happen to be on the internet or Instagram or email or whatever.  Works for me.  But let's talk about somebody else's nickname.

Think for a minute about a fellow named Blindbartimaeus.  You know the story from Mark 10 and the happy result:

 “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road. Verse 52

Since Jesus healed him, calling him "blind" doesn't fit who he is anymore than "monster" fits who I am. 

Nevertheless, we know this story as the story of "Blind Bartimaeus."

There are other people in the Bible we could bestow with nicknames - once-appropriate but now out-of-date appellations due to an encounter with the grace and mercy of God:

Saul the Jesus Hater.
Matthew the Greedy Tax Collector.
David the Adulterous Conniving Murderer.
Magdalene Mary the Prostitute.

And what about this person right here: (your name) the (sin).

Isn't it nice that with a new identity comes a new name?

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

Revelation 2:17 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it.