YOUR SPECIAL STONE

September 13 

To him who overcomes . . . I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it. Revelation 2:17b

I was two years old when I was adopted.  When I came to my new home, I only had the clothes I was wearing and my teddy bear.  My mother kept that teddy bear for me, and I still have it.  It’s raggedy, dusty, missing its button eyes, and half the stuffings are gone.  It doesn’t mean anything to my wife or my daughters, but it’s the only thing that came across the line with me from foster homes to a permanent family home.  For me, it is a reminder that someone actually took me in and gave me a home. So it is special to me.  Our verse talks about a special stone. This white stone is a special reward that the overcomer will receive as a reward when we all get to heaven.  You may think, “Wow, I get a rock, how exciting.”  But, it actually is exciting.  The Greek word translated as “stone” is found only here in the New Testament.  A different Greek word is used everywhere else.  This was a small smooth stone used in court hearings.  The white stone was cast for a verdict of innocent and a black one was cast for guilty.  Christ is giving the overcomer a verdict of innocent because they were washed by the blood of Christ.  But, then this special stone has a special name on it that only you know.  That special name has meaning that only you understand.  So, it will be special and meaningful to you.  What name do you suppose will be on your stone? 

Tom Johnson