At the beginning of a new year we often make resolutions to change certain things about our circumstances or ourselves. Many of us would changes some things about ourselves if we could yet we often feel powerless to do so. What must happen in order for us to change? Several things come to mind, including receiving God's love and grace, and relating intimately to him through Scripture and prayer. In my own life I see the role those have played. I've also been impacted by friends who've believed in me, even when there wasn't much data to suggest they should.

There is another factor that stands out, and that is the way God has used people and circumstances to show me more about how I related to him and others. There is an example of this in Jacob's story as well, as it's told in the Old Testament. He was the second-born of twins and he came out of the womb grasping Esau's heel. For that reason he was named Jacob, which literally means, "he grasps the heel," and figuratively means, "he deceives."

This sets the stage for Jacob's story and the way God exposes his sin yet draws Jacob to himself at the same time. Several events in Jacob's life are significant. He manipulated Esau out of his birthright. With Rebekah's help he deceived his father and got the blessing intended for Esau. In response to this deceit Esau said, "Is he not rightly named Jacob? For he has cheated me these two times" (Gen. 27:36). For the first time the figurative meaning of Jacob's name was applied to him. Esau called him The Cheater.

Esau made plans to kill Jacob as soon as their father died. Rebekah heard of this and helped Jacob to escape, sending him to live with her brother, Laban. Jacob continued with his conniving ways, engineering outcomes to get the best of Laban's flocks. Years later when he was returning to his homeland Jacob heard that Esau was on his way to meet him, and he offered a large gift hoping to appease Esau.

Yet God had other plans for Jacob and he wanted to set him free from managing life on his own terms in order to guarantee a good outcome. He did this by using events as mirrors to show Jacob the truth about himself, his cunning and deceitful ways. Perhaps the first mirror came during his deception of his father. How uncomfortable must it have been to wear a costume and wonder if Isaac was buying this, and then to have Isaac ask him his name? He answered "Esau," but I wonder if that was the first time God whispered to him, "You're living like a Jacob."

The second mirror was when Jacob was fleeing and met Rachel, Laban's daughter. As far as we know from the written text he did not tell her his name, but who can blame him? It gets in the way of a good introduction. "Hey, good lookin', I'm Cheater. What's your name?"

A third mirror was Laban himself. In Laban Jacob met his match. He turned out to be one of the all-time greats at cheating. Jacob made a deal to work for Laban for seven years in exchange for Rachel's hand in marriage. Laban agreed to this but on the wedding night Jacob's bride turned out to be Leah. It sounds like a bad episode of The Bachelor. This was a deception similar to the one Jacob and Rebekah pulled on Isaac.

The fourth mirror came when God told Jacob to return to his homeland. It was time to leave Laban's household, time to face the music with Esau. Jacob prayed but he also schemed, and during the night he wrestled with God in the form of a man. God touched Jacob's hip and he was now a broken man, but Jacob refused to let go until God blessed him. And then God asked Jacob the question he'd avoided all his life: "What is your name?" For the first time in the written account Jacob spoke his name. "Jacob," he replied. "The Deceiver." No more role-playing. No more avoiding the truth. Like the Prodigal Son Jacob had to face himself so that he could come to God. After that he walked with a limp, a physical reminder of a deeper brokenness. And God gave Jacob a new name, Israel, "because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome."

What would your answer be if God gently asked your name? Would it be Complainer? Manipulator? Angry One? Plays-it-Safe?

It's reassuring to me that God didn't say to Jacob, "I finally got you to admit who you are, you Deceiver." Instead he gave him a new name, Israel, "because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome." Revelation 2:17 tells us that followers of Christ will also be given a new name. That will take place in heaven, but I believe He is in the process even now of giving us our new names as we face our false selves and grow into our true selves; the process of sanctification.

One of my favorite scenes in the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy comes at the end of the 2nd movie. Frodo and Sam have just come through another battle against all odds, and Sam is praising Frodo. Frodo responds, "the truth is ol' Frodo wouldn't have gotten far without Sam...Sam Wise the Brave." And right before our eyes Sam is transformed. He stands a little taller, straighter, after that.

Just as with Jacob and the fictional tale of Frodo and Sam, our life story sets the stage for us to see and to change. As you look into your mirror and allow yourself to see, to change, what do you hear in your name? What will your new name be? Courageous? Lion-hearted? Gracious? Peaceful one? It's exciting, don't you think?

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