Today a motivating, encouraging conversation with you and host Paul Cole. A powerful word on our identity, purpose and value. The foundational story is from the renaming of Benjamin, Jacob’s son, and later the father of the twelfth tribe of Israel. That’s found near the end of the book of Genesis. When Jacob changed Benjamin’s name – everything in Benjamin’s life changed. It was the affirmation of his father that built the life of a great man – from the day of his birth forward.

In the tapestry of Scripture, names carry deep significance—revealing character, destiny, or God’s purpose. Few stories illustrate this with greater depth than the birth of Jacob’s youngest son, Benjamin. His mother, Rachel, was close to death when he was born. So, she named him Ben-oni or “son of my sorrow.” Later Jacob insisted on changing his name to Benjamin, or “son of my strength.” Rachel had named her son ‘Grief’ at the end of her life … but Jacob, the father, changed his name to ‘Strength’. This is what God does in our lives. Our name, identity, purpose and value are changed in following Jesus Christ.

In Christ we go from grief to strength, from dark to light, from death to life, from slavery to freedom. Jacob changed his son’s destiny by changing his name. This is a powerful time in the word with Paul, “That’s Not My Name!” BraveMen podcast is a production of the Christian Men’s Network, based in Dallas, Texas. For resources to mentor your family or work in a men’s group – go to https://CMN.men

(00:05) Identity and Devotion in Christian Faith
(13:52) Father's Journey From Grief to Strength
(22:36) Embracing Your Identity in Christ