Simon wasn’t anyone special. He was just a regular blue-collar dude. That is – until he met Jesus, who gave him the nickname “Rock” (which we translate “Peter”). Eventually people started calling him “Simon Peter.” And, yes, I’m sure there were some wisecrackers who called him “Dwayne Johnson.”

People tend to love stories from the life of Simon Peter, because he was extremely imperfect. It’s easy to see ourselves in him. Frankly “Rock” didn’t fit him at all when the nickname was given. But when he started following and learning from Jesus, his life slowly transformed into someone deserving of that name. Rock.