Who Does He Say YOU are?

"Who do you say I am?" Jesus asked his disciples. It’s a question that echoes through the ages, prompting us to consider not only His identity but also, by extension, our own. Yet, another profound identity-shaping encounter unfolds earlier in the Gospels, one that offers a powerful lens through which to understand how God sees us: the moment Jesus meets Peter in John 1:42.

Andrew, buzzing with the discovery of the Messiah, brings his brother Simon to Jesus. And what does Jesus do? He looks at Simon, a simple fisherman, and says, "You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas" (which, when translated, is Peter). In that singular, seemingly casual utterance, Jesus wasn't just giving Simon a nickname. He was doing something far more revolutionary: He was renaming him, seeing not the rough-around-the-edges fisherman, but the bedrock, the "rock" upon whom He would build His church.

Think about the implications of this. Simon was known for his impulsiveness, his sometimes-blustering nature, his very human flaws. He was, in many ways, the antithesis of a stable foundation. Yet, Jesus, with divine foresight, saw beyond the present reality. He saw Peter for who he would become, for who he was created to be – a leader, a pillar of faith, a man whose zeal, when tempered by the Holy Spirit, would ignite the early church. Jesus wasn't just calling him Peter; He was calling forth Peter.

This isn't an isolated incident in scripture. Throughout the Bible, God's transformative gaze redefines individuals. Abraham, originally Abram, meaning "exalted father," became "father of a multitude" (Genesis 17:5), even when he and Sarah were well past childbearing years. Jacob, the "deceiver" or "supplanter," wrestled with God and emerged as Israel, "he struggles with God" (Genesis 32:28), a name that would define a nation. In each instance, God wasn’t just changing a label; He was unveiling a destiny, aligning their identity with His divine purpose.

This is profoundly good news for us. We, much like Simon Peter before his transformation, often see ourselves through the distorted lens of our insecurities and imperfections. We dwell on past mistakes, magnify our weaknesses, and internalize the critical voices (both internal and external) that whisper doubts about our worth and capabilities. We see our limitations. We see the Simon.

But God? God sees the Peter. He sees our potential, not our limitations. He sees the masterpiece He is sculpting, not merely the raw clay. He sees the person He created us to be, infused with His image and destined for His glory.

Consider Ephesians 2:10: "For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." The word "handiwork" in Greek is poiema, from which we get our word "poem." We are God's poem, His masterpiece, intricately designed and uniquely gifted. He doesn't look at us and sigh at our flaws; He looks at us and delights in the potential He has woven into our very being.

Jeremiah 29:11 further reinforces this: "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." God isn't looking at our present struggles and thinking, "Well, they're stuck." Instead, He is actively working out plans for our prosperity and future, plans that transcend our current circumstances and perceived shortcomings.

This understanding should liberate us from the tyranny of self-doubt and the pressure to perform to human standards. When God looks at us, He sees the reflection of His Son in those who are in Christ. He sees the righteousness of Christ imputed to us, not our own failings. As 2 Corinthians 5:21 states, "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." We are seen as righteous not because of anything we've done, but because of what Christ has done for us.

So, the next time you find yourself fixating on your flaws, remember Simon Peter. Remember that the God who saw a rock in a fisherman sees in you something far grander than you can imagine. He sees the potential, the purpose, the person He created you to be. The person He sees is not defined by your past, but by His plan. The person He sees is not limited by your weaknesses, but by His omnipotence.

Embrace this divine perspective. Allow His vision for your life to eclipse your own limited view. Step into the identity He has already bestowed upon you, and like Peter, become the person He always intended you to be. For in His eyes, you are not merely who you are, but who you are becoming, and who you were always created to be.

-Pastor Patti