Apple’s Way

I was worried that someone would assign me a nickname that I wouldn’t like, so I suggested people call me that one. I’m not going to tell you what it is, but if you watch every episode of Apple’s Way, you might find out 😀.

Anyway, the name went viral, long before the Internet and I soon got utterly tired of it. It wasn’t until I moved on three years later that I finally became free of it.

I can remember a few other nicknames assigned to kids in my youth. Most were derived from surnames, but there were a few interesting ones.

I remember seeing U2 a few times in the Arcadia in Cork before they got famous. Someone mentioned that the lead singer was called Bono. It sounded odd to me because in work, we had a guy that we called Bonzo, so it sounded like that with a missing z 😀. And Bono wasn’t a stage name. He was called that by his friends, as was The Edge. I sometimes wonder was The Edge called that all the time, or was it an assigned name that was never used. I remember someone saying that Brian May, thought his name was The Hedge at Live Aid 😀.

So, let me attempt to weave the Bible in here. Here are some nick names that Microsoft Copilot mentioned:

• Peter: Originally Simon, but Jesus assigned him the name Peter, which means Rock. You can see in the gospels that he was somewhat unreliable, but that would change. And all those who trust in Christ can become solid as a rock.
• Boanerges: This means Sons of Thunder, and it was applied to James and John. It relates to their original character. They had fiery temperaments. But again, that would change. James was the first apostle to be martyred, and John was the only one who wasn’t martyred. He is often called the apostle of love.
• Paul: He was known as Saul early in the Book of Acts, but as time went on, he is called Paul, which was his Roman name. We very much associate that name with his mission to the Gentiles. Paul is Bono’s real name too. And it’s my name 😀.
• Barnabas: This was assigned to Paul’s friend, Joseph, and it means “son of encouragement”. And if you read the Book of Acts, that’s exactly what he was.
• Son of Man: Not really a nickname, but frequently used of Jesus. I used to be puzzled by it, because elsewhere he’s called the Son of God, but he is both. The significance of the Son of Man was a vision of heaven that Daniel had, where he was surprised to see a glorious human. The term was used of the coming Messiah.

Daniel 7:13-14
¹³ “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. ¹⁴ He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.

Acts 7:56 tell us what Stephen, the first martyr, saw just before his martydom.

Acts 7:56
⁵⁶ “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”