I was reading in Matthew 26 this morning where Peter is confronted two times by several individuals in the courtyard and accused of being associated with Jesus. Each time he denied being with Him. The third time some other bystanders came to Peter and said, “you must be one of them because we can tell by your Galilean accent.” That last accusation arrested my attention and is where the Holy Spirit gave me pause. Here are some questions I sensed Him asking me:
Will I ever be accused of being one of them because I was closely associated with Him?
Can people tell that I am one of them based on the way I talk, my Christ accent? No, I am not talking about using the right Christian language, but the way I respond to all of life, no matter how strange it gets.
Will they be able to tell that I am one of them based on the way I respond during difficult, disappointing and frustrating moments in my day?
Will they be able to determine if I am one of them by the way I use my words to build up, encourage, create, give life, and inspire.
Will they know that I am one of them based on the way I talk to my hurting spouse, my active children, my unfair boss, and my unruly neighbor?
Will bystanders know that I am one of them based on the way I forgive those who offend me, love my enemies, suffer well without and within me, listen and give to the marginalized and disenfranchised consistently?
Will people around me ever accuse me of being one of them based on the way I rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep?
Will I ever be accused of being one of them because I loved and lived like him?
If you are follower of Jesus, can people tell that you are one of them? Is there any language or behavior that may prevent people from ever thinking or believing that you are one of them? What do you need to change?
tom felten on April 26, 2010 at 12:21 pm
Good stuff! I was recently reminded of two things that reveal the work of Jesus in our lives. One is service and the other humility. I’m praying that God will continue to develop these things in my life and that He will be glorified by my words and actions.
lilD on April 27, 2010 at 7:17 pm
Ah, this reminds me of when I created a checklist to follow of all the things love is (from 1 Corinthians 4-7), and that therefore, I should embody. But I was getting frustrated that I wasn’t very good at being any of those things. Then more recently, I realized that I need to meet love as a person, Jesus, in order to let this love enter into my heart, so that I, too, would behave the way love does. I guess in the same way, with this list, we need to ask the Holy Spirit to enter into our hearts to guide us, because it’s certainly not easy being “one of them.”
cuddles on May 4, 2010 at 3:08 pm
I have just come to the conclusion after coming on
to your web site that although I believe in God I can
never be a true christian. I fail every day not to sin
and my knowledge of the bible is limited to simple
stories like the prodigal son. My understanding of
the gospel from I was a child was to keep it simple
Christ died for our sins (end of story) all sin is the
same to God, God knows the heart in each sinner
and knows therefore who is truly sorry for their sin
your nor I cannot restore anyone to God only God
can do this. I am know different to any non
believer except that I confess my sin to God in
prayer. If we were to return to this simple form of
the gospel we would have more followers of Jesus
the confusion is caused by making it difficult.
When God sends the Holy Spirit to his
chosen people they will bring the world back to
Christ. In the meantime Christians should want
to support Satan’s victims i.e.
csev on May 16, 2010 at 7:36 am
My dear cuddles. It is not difficult. We all sin everyday. We all fall short. We all reach out for the hand of Jesus everyday.
Jesus said “Love God with your whole heart and Love other like you self”. Easy to say but sometimes hard to do because we are still sinners.
We want to please God so we try to allow him to change us. Easy to say but also difficult to do.
As you read God’s Word and allow it to become part of you, it becomes driving force in your life and allows you to change.
I suggest you read God’s word everyday. Start in the book of Mark and ask God to show you what he wants to teach you. You will be amazed!!!!
gmaduro on May 31, 2010 at 11:17 pm
You are correct, it is truly not that difficult to do the right thing if you let the holySpirit help you along the way. He is more than able if we just ask and allow him to guide us. No matter how hard it seem at times just believe that he can. John 16:24 “Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete”. Be bless!
sarah anne on June 19, 2010 at 3:44 pm
Oh man, I try so hard every day to walk the walk and talk the talk, and what happens? most of the time i find myself doing the opposite of everything I wanted to do good. I pray and repent and ask for forgiveness and strength, and wow! I get it , and I can go on again. why do we make our Christian walk so difficult at times, by feeling guilty,instead of just repenting and ask forgiveness, leave everything at the cross,and let the Holy Spirit do His work in us, apostle Peter says, cast your cares for He cares for us. our job is to Trust, Obey, and to Love. Jesus our Lord Cares, His Promises never come back empty. God Bless .