A young man was sitting alone at a coffee shop staring at his renewed driver’s license shaking his head. Completely ignoring the picture, he kept looking at his name and asking himself quietly, ‘How could my parents give me a name that so accurately characterizes my existence?’ The fact that the young man was sitting alone was nothing new. He had spent much of his life alone – never feeling like he ever connected with hardly anyone. He never really had any friends – most of the time he felt invisible. Today in the coffee shop was no different.
He looked again at his driver’s license and read his name, “Du U Blong”. ‘No!’ he shouted in his head – ‘I’ve never felt like I belong’. Du was the youngest of four children. He had two sisters and one brother – all of them were several years older than he was. They always called him his parents’ mistake. The three of them had more traditional names and always seemed to find it easy making friends. Yes, they were his sisters and brother, but he never felt like he was part of the family.
His parents divorced not long after he was born – it was as if his birth caused the separation. His only childhood memories of his parents are of them arguing and being passed back and forth between the two of them as if he were the hot potato that neither one of them wanted to hold or keep. By the time his sisters and brother were out of high school, his father ultimately moved away and was sporadic, at best, at providing child support. Du’s mother had to work two jobs to pay the bills, but they still had to move several times because they couldn’t keep up with the rent. With all the moves, Du had to keep changing schools, so that made his ability to build any lasting friendships all the harder.
“Is this seat taken?” An elderly gentleman was standing above Du with a cup of coffee and an old beat-up book in his hand. “I’m sorry if I’m bothering you, but would you mind if I sat at this table?” Du looked around and saw there were open tables, so he thought it strange that the man would want to sit with him. However, he was so pleasantly surprised that someone – any one – would want to sit with him.
“No – not at all. Please have a seat.” Du, smilingly replied.
“Thank you – that’s very kind of you” the man said. He pulled out a chair and slowly sat down and landed with a grunt. He put his cup of coffee and his old book on the table. The book turned out to be a well-worn Bible. Neither of Du’s parents was at all religious, so he had never gone to church. He never had any thought about God or religion or anything spiritual. All he knew was just getting through each day.
The old man saw Du looking at his Bible. He asked him, “Have you ever read the Bible?”
“No” Du responded. “My parents weren’t religious – we never went to church.”
“Well, the Bible isn’t so much about being religious or going to church – although that is part of it. The Bible is a love letter.”
Du carefully watched the man’s face as he said this – he saw a kindness and peacefulness he had rarely seen in his young life. “A love letter? I’ve never heard the Bible described like that.” Du commented. “I always thought it was just a bunch of old stories talking about rules and regulations. Who is the love letter to?”
The old man smiled and looked at Du and said, “You. I’m sorry; I didn’t get your name. My name is Emanuel.”
Du was hesitant to respond – he hated his name, and he hated sharing it even more. However, there was something safe about this old man. “Du. My entire name is Du U Blong.”
“My, that is an interesting name. Where did your parents come up with the name Du? What does the “U” stand for?” Emanuel asked.
“They said they read it in a book and thought it would be funny – something that would set me apart.” Du said shamefully.
Emanuel could see the pain in Du’s face. “You know, Du, in the Bible there are many people who had names given to them, but once they came to believe in God, He gave them a new name. That new name would have a special meaning just between God and that person.”
“Really? That’s so cool.” Du replied with some uncharacteristic excitement. “I would love to get a new name. My name has defined my whole life – I’ve never felt like I belonged to anything – even my family.”
“That is very sad, Du. The God in this book calls those who believe in Him His children. He also promises His children He will never leave them nor forsake them. Once you become one of God’s children, you are part of His family, and you will be blessed by Him forever.”
‘That sounds too good to be true.’ Du thought to himself, but he was so desperate to find out more about this God who would accept him and call him his child, he asked Emanuel how he could become one of God’s children and part of his family. Emanuel walked him through the Gospel, and Du confessed his faith in Jesus as his Lord and Savior.
“Now when do I get my new name?” he asked Emanuel.
“That may take some time, Du, but regardless of your name, you are now part of the family of God.”
Du was a little disappointed, but he was so full of hope that his life was no longer going to resemble his name. He spent some more time with Emanuel and then headed home. When he got to his apartment, he found an envelope under his doormat. He opened it up, and it was an official letter that read, “Mr. Blong, We have received a request for your name change, and this letter is confirmation of our approval of this request. From this point forward, your name is “U Du Blong”.
“Wow! But I didn’t apply for this request.” He then saw the name that signed the letter. It was from Emanuel. “It’s true! And I do feel like I finally belong” cried out a very happy U.