Today’s Reading, Acts 4-6
Focal Scripture: Acts 4:13 “When they observed the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed and recognized that they had been with Jesus.”
We are associated by the people we spend our time with on a consistent basis. If you spend the majority of your time with people who love music it would be a smart deduction that you liked music or were able to play an instrument. If you spend the majority of your time around people who are advocates for a cause you might start using the same verbiage in conversations. The point is that it shouldn’t be difficult to figure out by watching your life the people you are close friends with at this moment. We are recognized by the people that we spend time with, we even take on their personality.
In today’s reading the religious leaders have been watching Peter and John intently. What they knew about them is that they were untrained and uneducated men. They didn’t have the same privileges that others were given in the Jewish community. The religious people also noticed that they spent time with Jesus. It was evident in how they spoke, how they acted, and even in how they carried themselves. Peter and John had confidence that Jesus was alive and would fulfill everything he told them.
The challenge today is very practical for us as believers. Can people tell that you have been with Jesus? This should not be a difficult deduction for people who are around us or even meet us for the first time. Our attitudes and demeanor should reflect that of Christ. How we speak and how we treat people should reflect Christ. Ou personalities and speech should reflect a changed heart and a changed life. Friends and strangers should be able to tell that we spend time with Jesus.
If people can’t tell you have been with Jesus you have to ask yourself “Why?” In my honest opinion believers are easy to spot because the fruit of the Spirit flows from them naturally. It is also easy to spot people who claim to know Jesus but in actuality only know him in their minds. For instance, I once witnessed a professing believer who spoke hatefully, condemning and full of pride in all of their conversations. At a lunch conversation I watched this person demean an individual in front of a group of people. Later, they tried to justify their actions demanding that that person deserved what they got and should have been prepared for tough questions.
The takeaway from myself and others is that this person had a head knowledge of the Lord but did not demonstrate they were in the presence of the Lord. However, I have been around the opposite as well. As soon as you are around them you can tell that Christ is their fortress. Their facial expressions, body language and their speech, all reflect a changed heart and a changed life. You can tell they have been with Jesus. It was contagious.
Can friends and strangers tell that you have been with Jesus? This is not something that should be abnormal for people who follow Jesus. It should be evident and obvious that Jesus is our friend and our Lord.
Tomorrow, I plan on reading Acts 7-8
