Blessed are you, Simon.
—Matthew 16:17
“Who do you say I am?” Jesus asked.
“You are the Christ,” Peter answered:
“Now I’m going to tell you who you are,” Jesus said. “You are Peter, a rock” (MSG).
But hold the phone! Moments later, when Peter took Jesus to task for predicting his death, the Lord snapped, “Get behind me Satan! You are a stumbling block to me.”
How could Jesus praise Peter as a rock and in the next breath call him Satan?
Well, Peter had a lot of growing to do. But even before his weakness tripped him up, Jesus called him a rock because he knew that’s what he would eventually become.
He knows what you will eventually become too.
He already has a descriptive name for you—probably something like Rock.
The last One who will judge you will
be the One who loves you most.