There’s a story in the Christian Bible (stick with me even if you’re not a Christian—this is good, I promise) about Jesus renaming one of his disciples.⁠ ⁠

 

Now, this particular disciple was, well, let’s just say he was a little rough around the edges. When I was a kid we sang a song about him in Sunday school and one of the verses was total #calloutculture. It went, “Peter always made a fuss, Peter was impetuous, he knew hard times when he denied his Lord…”⁠ ⁠

Brutal, right?⁠ ⁠ But before Peter BECAME Peter, he had to be NAMED Peter. And before he was NAMED Peter, his given name was Simon.⁠ ⁠

 

But Jesus didn’t call him Simon. From almost the beginning, he called Simon “Peter”—”the rock.” And he told Peter that he was to be the cornerstone on which he built his church.⁠ ⁠

 

The ROCK. On which he would BUILD HIS CHURCH.⁠ ⁠

 

The man who cut off another man’s ear in a moment of panic.⁠ ⁠

The man who denied he even knew Jesus when the tide turned—not ONCE, but THREE TIMES.⁠ ⁠

The man who told Jesus he shouldn’t talk about dying.⁠ ⁠

The man WHO WAS ALWAYS PUTTING HIS FOOT IN HIS MOUTH OR DOING SOMETHING STUPID.⁠ ⁠

 

Why on EARTH did Jesus rename him PETER when he was one of the least rock-like people you’ve ever met?⁠ ⁠

What would possess him to do that???⁠ ⁠

 

Jesus renamed Simon “Peter” not because he was ALREADY the rock, BUT BECAUSE HE COULD SEE THE ROCK WITHIN HIM.⁠

⁠

Because he could “see him in the future.”⁠ ⁠

Because he recognized his potential.⁠ ⁠

 

And he knew just exactly what Simon was capable of becoming.⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠

 

It’s not enough that WE dream dreams, friends.⁠ ⁠

 

We need to surround ourselves with people who can SEE the outcome already within us. Who can see our potential. Who can attest to our capability.⁠ ⁠

 

And who can call it out,⁠ ⁠

name it,⁠ ⁠

and support it.⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠

 

Chronic illness is hard enough.⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠

 

Be with people who see you in the future.⁠ ⁠