Why Peter?

As I read our reading in Matthew for today (Matt. 16:13-20), I was struck with the question: Why Peter? After all, Peter wasn't perfect, he was just an ordinary fisherman, he made mistakes all over the place and yet Jesus singled him out and proclaimed that He would build His church on Peter and those like Peter. Why?

Maybe the key is in verse 16. Peter made a bold proclamation of who Jesus was - "the Son of the living God." That was Peter's true heart. And yeah, at times Peter forgot that and he reverted to his weaknesses and he messed up. But underneath all of it, Peter knew who Jesus was.

Maybe that's "Why Peter?" And maybe that's what Jesus desires from us also - to be connected to Him to the point that we can make the same bold proclamation.