So what is your nickname

. . . sons of thunder.

Has anyone ever given you a nickname?   Maybe your mother used to call you Sweetheart or Buddy.   Maybe your speed and agility led teammates to call you Flash or Arrow.   Nicknames like these can be descriptive and sometimes humorous.   But they also show closeness and affection.   When someone gives you a nickname, they are saying not only how well they know you but how much they like you as well.

In Scripture we read that Jesus had a nickname for James and John: “Sons of Thunder”.   He may have chosen this name to affirm their zeal for his kingdom or he may have been referring to their quick temper.   Either way, we can see both in these verses and throughout the gospels that Jesus had a great deal of affection for these two brothers.   He knew them well and loved them completely, warts and all.

Jesus knows us fully too.   He sees our strengths and love for him along with our weaknesses and shortcomings.   But he also sees how our checkered attributes might bear fruit for the kingdom of God.   And above all else, he loves us. Unconditionally.

It’s not always easy to see the big picture.   Sometimes we overlook our flaws and emphasize our strengths, but more often, we focus on our weaknesses and feel inadequate.   We allow our faults to obscure our potential.   We miss the goodness that God has placed in us and dismiss our capacity for holiness.

What nickname do you think Jesus has for you?   Maybe it’s Smiley, because of your cheerful nature.   Or maybe he calls you Steady Eddy, in honor of your faithfulness.   Or maybe he calls you Pokey because of your tendency to overthink a situation before taking action.   Let this nickname highlight what is good and holy in you, even as it speaks of God’s affection for you.   Ponder what strengths he has given you and how he might use them.   And laugh a little when you realize that, like James and John, you still need some refining.   Don’t worry—the same God who worked patiently with the Sons of Thunder will work in you.

word among us