My
friend wrote a letter to his newborn child that he wanted him to read when he
was older: “My dear boy, Daddy and Mummy wish that you will find and stay
focused on the Light. Your Chinese name is xin xuan. Xin means faithfulness,
contentment, and integrity; xuan stands for warmth and light.” He and his wife
carefully chose a name based on their hopes for their baby boy.
When
Jesus renamed Simon as Peter/Cephas (John 1:42), it wasn’t a random choice.
Peter means “the rock.” But it took a while for him to live up to his new name.
The account of his life reveals him as a fisherman known for his rash ways—a
shifting-sand kind of guy. Peter disagreed with Jesus (Matt. 16:22-23), struck
a man with a sword (John 18:10-11), and even denied knowing Jesus (John
18:15-27). But in Acts, we read that God worked in and through him to establish
His church. Peter truly became a rock.
If you, like Peter, are a follower of Jesus, you have a new identity. In Acts 11:26, we read, “The disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.” The name “Christians” means “Christ-ones.” You now are one of the Christ-ones. This title lifts up who you are and calls you to become what you are not yet. God is faithful, and He will complete His good work in you (Phil. 1:6).
