He did that for Peter, a fisherman who accepted Jesus’s invitation to follow him. Before they met, Peter was known as Simon, a rough fisherman who needed a lot of work on his character and relationships. You see, Peter was labeled: HOT HEAD, IMPULSIVE, HEADSTRONG. He rubbed people the wrong way, shot off his mouth, did things his own way even when it caused hurt to himself.
Jesus didn’t see those labels though. He didn’t see Peter as he was in the present. Jesus saw Peter as God had made him to be, and as Peter was going to be when he got through with him. Jesus labeled Peter: PASSIONATE, DETERMINED, STRONG.
Jesus told Peter, “You are Simon, son of John. But you will be called Cephas, which means Peter” (John 1:42). Jesus was saying: You are my rock. Your life may be like sifting sand now, but when I get a hold of you then you’re going to be solid as a rock.
That’s what Jesus does for us. He takes who we are and embraces us. He loves how God made us and he sees what is best and calls that out of us, ever-shaping and sharpening our best qualities like the potter does with the clay to create something beautiful and enduring.
Think about words that describe you. Write them down. Tuck the list in your Bible or tape it someplace you’ll see it. Pray over these labels and how God can turn anything negative to a positive. Pray to and ask God to relabel you and give you a new name.
God promises to do that. “I will give you a white stone with a new name on it,” he says ( Revelation 2:17). Meditate upon what name your stone will bear.
Excerpt from You Are Made For More!
