And he brought him to Jesus. Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, "You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas" (which is translated, A Stone). (John 1:42)
When Andrew brought his brother Simon Peter to Jesus, He looked at him and gave him a new name. Jesus didn't do that with other people. He didn't give out names right off the bat. But Jesus looked at Simon Peter and gave him a new name, Rock.
I wonder if the others thought, Rock? Is this a joke? What does He mean, "Rock?" When you think of the word "rock," you think of something that is solid and dependable and trustworthy. Peter was hotheaded and impulsive and too quick to speak.
Yet when the Bible tells us Jesus looked at Peter, it could be translated to read that Jesus looked right through him. Jesus knew what He was getting with Simon. He knew that Peter would one day let Him down. He knew that Peter would one day deny Him. But He also knew that one day Peter would grow into that new name. He knew that one day Peter would preach the gospel on the Day of Pentecost, and 3,000 people would believe.
When God looks at you, He sees potential. Maybe when you look in the mirror, you see only flaws. You see failure. You see problems. But God looks at you a whole lot differently. He sees what He will make you into. And you have great value because He has taken residence in your heart.
The Bible tells us, "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us" (2 Corinthians 4:7). Your value does not come from who you are, in and of yourself. It comes from who has taken residence in you. The value in us is because God himself has put His signature on our lives.
Have a great week,
Jody
