Praying through Trouble

Almost all of us have been in trouble. Many of us have been in a spot where we didn’t want to be and asked God to intervene. So it was with Jonah, the prophet of God in Jonah 2.

Jonah had made the decision he didn’t want to do what God called him to do so he ran away. Once the sailors on the boat where Jonah had hidden realized the storm they were enduring was because of Jonah, they began to question Jonah.

Like the sailors, so many of us have been in a storm. We would have never chosen to be going through the thing we are enduring in the moment. We didn’t want to be questioning our faith and the reality of God in our life. We never dreamed our marriage would have turned impassionate. We never thought we would be jobless. Or fighting some chronic illness. We would never have dreamed our adult children would have turned away from Jesus and are now making poor life choices.

Jonah would have never thought he’d be in the belly of a huge fish. It was not punishment but provision from God. Jonah would have rather wanted something else but we recognize, God doesn’t always give us what we want. He certainly gives us what we need.

In Jonah 2, Jonah begins to pray to God for deliverance. He remembered he needed the Lord. Jonah put his hope in his Heavenly Father. Unfortunately sometimes, we put our hope in other things like the stock market, our bank account, our spouse, our intellect or university degrees or someone we follow on our social media account. But many of us have realized nothing will help us or save us except the Lord God Almighty.

So Jonah prays. James, the half-brother of Jesus, says in James 5:13, “If any of you are in trouble, you should pray.” And that could not ring truer. We are called to interact with our Heavenly Father on a regular basis through prayer. In Jonah 2:2-9, Jonah lifts his voice to God but we discover nothing happens until the end of chapter two. This is a huge encouragement to you and me because I get frustrated with God’s timing. But he is always telling me the He knows better…just be patient.

So, Jonah is praying on day 1. Then he’s praying on day 2. Finally he keeps praying on day 3. And someone reading this needs to realize this truth. While you’re waiting, God is still working. Just because you don’t see anything doesn’t mean God isn’t still on his throne.

Jonah 2:9 is a great reminder as well. Jonah prays, “My salvation comes from the LORD.” That is spot on for all of us, isn’t it? Jonah was running from God. He didn’t deserve saving but God saved him. When we didn’t deserve it, God sent his Son, Jesus, to be with us and die for us. We all need the grace of God in our lives. We all need Jesus to remove our sin, our disgrace, our “running away” spirit. We need Jesus to take on our guilt and shame and so that we can live triumphantly in the unconditional love of our God.

So pray and keep praying that God will do wonders in your life as you make a daily decision to follow Jesus. Blessings on your journey.

Forgive as We Have Been Forgiven

Forgiveness is important to our health in every way you can imagine. Each of us wants forgiveness for the poor choices we make or the missteps that lead to relational difficulty. When it comes to forgiveness, God’s Word teaches us about two realities.

First, sin separates us from God so we need to be forgiven. Sin means to miss the mark. It’s to fall short of God’s expectations as we follow his Son, Jesus. We sin when we behave in ways that are opposite from how God has called us to live or when we choose not to do something that God expects of us. No matter how you slice it, sin leaves us in debt to a holy God.

But on the cross, Jesus says, “It is finished.” Jesus was telling creation that through his death, he created a way to have our debt paid in full. So through belief in Jesus, we have the ability to be forgiven of our wrong doing and thus be made right with God.

Forgiveness means to wipe the slate clean, to pardon, to cancel a debt. And Jesus offers that clean slate to anyone who will call upon him. Unfortunately, when we sin, we are saying that my kingdom is more important than the kingdom of Jesus. Jesus encourages us to let go of our kingdom and embrace the Kingdom of God.

But sin can also separate us from others so we need to forgive them. If we wish to have relational harmony with God, then we must forgive those who have offended or hurt us. Charles Spurgeon, a preacher in the mid-1800s says it like this, “Go to Calvary to learn how you may be forgiven and then linger there to learn how to forgive others.”

See, forgiving is the act of setting someone free. We all want to be forgiven for our poor choices but we become very particular when someone is wanting our forgiveness. We set up qualifiers: if they ask me or if they repent or as time passes or when they make good on the issue. As kingdom people, Jesus wants to clarify in Matthew 6:14-15 what is expected of us. He challenges us with his words, “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.”

It’s a sobering warning…if we don’t forgive, God will not forgive us. Our ability to forgive those who hurt us is a witness to how much God’s love has penetrated us. If we can’t be forgivers, chances are, we haven’t encountered the love of Jesus in real and authentic ways.

Now, I know some of us have been hurt deeply. There is sin that has drastically changed your family or marred your own life. Maybe a drunk driver took away someone you deeply loved. It’s possible a trusted church leader took advantage of you at a young age. Maybe you grew up with parents who consistently said hurtful words to you or you continue to hear slurs about your ethnicity. These are examples of hurt that runs deep. But understand, forgiveness is a process…some things take longer than others to work through. So, as a kingdom person, would you be willing to start the process? Who will you set free today? Who will you release?

Here’s the shocking truth: when you forgive and set someone free, you end up freeing yourself as well. It’s in that moment you realize that you had the key to your prison the whole time. So I challenge you to consider that people in your life who have hurt you. Have you forgiven them? Is there someone you need to approach for reconciliation? As you work through the process of forgiveness, the Holy Spirit will give you the power and strength to release them and you from the prison of relational discord. Blessings on the journey.

Give Us Today What We Need

Only two places in the New Testament does the original language use the word “daily”. Once in Matthew 6 and once in Luke 11, both are the Lord’s prayer. I like to think of the principle of this part of the prayer is that God will deliver or supply my daily needs, whatever those needs might be.

I’m reminded in this part of the prayer, I am called to have a commitment to dependence upon God. I am acknowledging God owns everything and I am simply managing what he’s given me. James, the half-brother of Jesus tells us that every good and perfect gift comes from the Father of Heavenly Lights.

And Jesus reminds us in Matthew 6, after his prayer, worry about anything is holding on to something that belongs in God’s hands. But we’d rather be paralyzed by the potential of what might happen tomorrow rather than enjoy what God has given today. Life has a way of distracting us and causing us to focus on unnecessary frustrations.

But Jesus reminds us that God knows best. His plans are larger than my plans. God will give you what He knows you need today. Just depend on him.

Equally, we are called to a commitment of contentment. In his prayer, we are not praying for what we need for the next thirty years but what we need today. We will be content to ask for what we need right now.

Paul tells us in 1 Timothy 6:6-8, “…true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content.” When we are happy for God to provide what we need, it moves us to satisfaction. When we are satisfied, we worry less and less about what we don’t have and are simply grateful for what we do have.

In John 6, Jesus called himself the Bread of Life. His prayer states, “give us today our daily bread”. Knowing that Jesus is the bread, my hope is that you and I will pray for Jesus to consume our lives. Truly, Jesus is the only thing that satisfies. He IS the Bread of Life. So take him in. Focus yourself on having Jesus as a part of your life so you’ll never go hungry or thirsty. In Jesus, we don’t really need anything else. In him, we’ll have the best life we could ever hope for. Blessings on the journey.

God, not my will but Yours

Jesus teaches us to pray in Matthew 6: 9-13. It is a short prayer but gives us the relevant ideas of how prayer should be presented in the life of a believer. In the third line, Jesus says, “God, may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

Most of us ask, “Lord, what’s your will for my life?” And if I like it, then I go forward with it but if it doesn’t align with what I want, well, I need to rethink it. Ultimately, God knows what’s best for us, even when we may not agree with it so we learn two words: trust and faith. Then ask the question, “What do I need to do to find God’s will in my life?”

First, for God’s will to be done, I have to obey his instruction. When my boys where in junior high, I showed them how to mow the yard correctly (at least in my estimation). I took my oldest out and introduced him to the mower and weed eater then showed him how to operate both. I also showed him how to mow straight lines and edge. Then, I turned it over to him. With a couple of turns doing it himself, he got it down.

But the truth is, if I don’t follow God, I’ll never know his will for my life. I’ve got to love God and follow Jesus if I want to be in tune with his will. Jesus was in tune. The night of his arrest, he was praying in the garden. He knew what was needed so that we could be saved. He ultimately asked if there was another way but ended with, “Father, not my will but yours.” Sometimes in our lives, God’s will is not going to be the easiest. But we trust him to take care of us.

Now, to obey God’s instruction, you have to hear his voice. There are so many ways to hear the voice of God. We do in community as we gather on a Sunday morning for Bible class and worship. We can hear his voice through our small group or the ministry group we volunteer in. We can hear his voice by reading the Bible and being in prayer, everyday.

To hear his voice, you have to listen. Samuel was listening in 1 Samuel 3 when he head someone say his name. He thought it was the high priest, Eli and kept going in to ask what Eli was wanting. On the third time, Eli realized Samuel was hearing the voice of God and instructed Samuel that the next time he heard his name to answer, “Speak Lord for your servant hears.” We too have to be attentive all the time as God uses different people and circumstances to get our attention.

So, to be able to listen to God, I must spend time with him. I believe God’s voice is much like a radio, it’s always on. We just need to tune his voice over the noise of our everyday life. To better do that, I must make time everyday, to sit with God and better understand how he’s called me to live.

Ultimately, in order for God’s will to be accomplished in my life, I have to be willing to let go of my will. Paul tells us something extraordinary in 1 Corinthians 2:9. Paul says, “No eye has seen. No ear has heard. What God has in store for those who love him.” Did you get that? God has things for you that you can’t even imagine but you’ll never experience them unless you say “yes” to the plan of God in your life and accepting his will over your own.

God’s will is for you to live with him for ever. That can only happen if you say “yes” to Jesus and follow him in your life. That’s our call…to follow Jesus. Blessings on the journey.

Own It or It Owns You

Many of you have incredible careers. You have done well with your degree program in establishing a way to provide for yourself and your family. You have an incredible home which is a comfort to you and your family. You have started a nice nest egg for the day you pack up the box and head into retirement. There is absolutely nothing wrong with any of the above statements…unless all of that owns you, rather than you owning it.

Even as Jesus-followers when asked, “What’s in your wallet?”, we tend to say, “None of your business.” We like keeping our “stuff” separate from following Jesus. After all, I put in the long hours, got the college degree, bring work home at night, endure the stress of the boss’s pressure. So many times, we fail to see as followers of Jesus, He wants every piece of our life, not just Sunday mornings. We end up having a fatal misunderstanding of a couple of things.

First, we have a misunderstanding of ownership. We approach money and our stuff like it is ours. It’s uncomfortable to discuss our resources in the context of Jesus. But clear biblical teaching reminds us that God owns everything. And you may say, no, I am the one who put in the hours. While true, who gave you the mind, creativity and intellect? Who gave you the hands to do the work? Who has blessed you with a family that supports you as you work? Well, God of course. He’s blessed us with all those things.

So we approach stewardship of our resources and money management with an understanding of who it all belongs to and then it becomes easier to grasp. If we concede that God truly has ownership, the rest becomes more comfortable to talk about. And the Bible is full of reminders.

Moses says in Deuteronomy 10, ““Look, the highest heavens and the earth and everything in it all belong to the Lord your God.”. Job is having a dialogue with God about his life situation and God says, “Who has given me anything that I need to pay back? Everything under heaven is mine.” The Psalmist says in Psalms 24:1, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him.”

In my experience, there always seems to be two questions. The way you ask the question will reveal your heart posture concerning your “stuff” and God. You’ll either ask, “How much of my money (stuff) do I need to give to God?” verses “How much of God’s money (resources) do I keep for myself?”

A second misunderstanding is of lordship. As humans who follow Jesus, there are parts of us that want to hold back things from God. We hold back our finances, our relationships, our sexuality, our work and hobbies. We really want to be in control. But Jesus is not only our Savior, He’s also our Lord. God has rights to everything in our life. He owns it all. If you are a follower of Jesus, then you said, “yes” to his Lordship when you began to follow him.

So in every facet of our life, every piece of it belongs to God. Do a self inventory. Do some honest self-reflection. Where is God when it comes to your finances, your resources, your work environment, your parenting, your marriage, your internet browser history, your hobbies, your relationships? Jesus said if anyone would follow me, they must take up their cross daily and follow. Where ever you are in life, God owns everything. Live in such a way that your life reveals that truth. Blessings on the journey.

A Donkey Ride

Have you ever had a moment in retrospect where you were amazed? You were thinking about an event and you couldn’t believe you got to be a part of it. I’ve thought about that ordinary donkey that Jesus rode into Jerusalem in 33 AD. What a lucky donkey! Didn’t have a clue the Son of God was on his back.

But thinking about Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, there are some things we can take away from John’s account during this week called Passion Week. Passion week is simply the last week of Jesus on earth before his crucifixion. Our narrative today comes from John 12:12-19.

We rediscover that Jesus is more appealing than religion. The crowds rush out of Jerusalem to greet Jesus on the road with palm branches and shouting, “Hosanna!” which means “Lord, save us now”. The Jewish people had been celebrating Passover for, well, centuries. It had turned into an obligation and a ritual. Every year, the people took the same pathways to Jerusalem. They told the same stories, said the same prayers, ate the same food with the same people. Then Jesus appeared and gave everyone a fresh perspective on who God was and how much He loved his people.

We notice some differences between Jesus and the stale religion of the day. Religion emphasizes the outward and how things look while Jesus focuses on the heart. Jesus highlights this in his confrontation with the religious leaders of his day in Matthew 23.

Religion is often about what you can’t do; Jesus is about what you can do. One often hears the “rules” listed from religion while Jesus says, “Come as you are. You don’t need to be perfect. I’ll make you perfect.”

Religion puts up barriers; Jesus tears down barriers. We see this as Jesus rides that donkey to the Temple. When he enters, he sees all the courtyards, literally barriers, with signs telling people where they can worship. In the Gentile courtyard, money changers and merchants have set up shop. They are indifferent to the Gentiles trying to worship so Jesus overturns the tables and drives out the merchants exclaiming, “My Father’s house is a place of worship for all people.”

Religion says you need to work your way to God. Check the boxes and toe the line or God will not accept you. Jesus simply says, “I am the way. Come and follow me.”

There are also four different groups of people greeting Jesus as he rides toward Jerusalem. Word reaches the Passover visitors’ ears that Jesus is coming. Everyone pours out of Jerusalem to see him. So many, in fact, the Pharisees say, “The whole world is following him.”

The first group are the disciples. They have been following Jesus for three and a half years. They truly believe that Jesus is who he says. The second group are those who were present when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. A third group are those who simply heard about Jesus raising Lazarus. And the final group are the Pharisees. We can find ourselves in one of these groups.

Are you someone who has seen what Jesus does but doesn’t really follow him because you have your own agenda and schedule? Are you someone who has heard a few things about Jesus but are really unsure if you believe any of it? Are you someone who is keeping a tally of wrong doing and more interested in telling people they are wrong rather than offering love and grace? OR are you a disciple…a follower of Jesus? Are you someone who desires to get as close to the Savior as you can no matter where that leads?

We all have the opportunity to respond to Jesus this week. The question is, how will you respond to the Lamb of God who comes to take away your sin? Most of us have narrowed down Jesus to put him in one of three categories. He is either a liar, lunatic, or Lord. This week some 2000 years ago, Jesus rode a donkey into Jerusalem to give his life for you. My hope is you will claim him as Lord and celebrate the gift of life he’s given you that we claim this week. Blessings on your journey.

Freely Overcoming Difficulty

Life typically comes at us a hundred miles an hour. We make preparations but many times, it doesn’t pan out like we had planned. Some of us are working through family issues, a difficult marriage or prodigal kids. Some of us have extended illnesses or trying to overcome cancer. Others have a tremendous amount of stress in your work environment or financial issues. Some of us suffered the loss of someone dear you thought would be around for a while longer. Hardship is a part of life but you don’t have to walk through it alone.

Paul tells us in Galatians 6 that God gives us a spirit of power and strength, not one of timidity. Paul is animate that when we say “yes” to Jesus as our Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit lives within us and then through the power of Jesus and the Holy Spirit, we can overcome anything life throws our way. Indeed, we can do all things through Christ who gives us strength.

First in Galatians 6, Paul reminds us that in Jesus, we’ll never walk alone. Verses 1, 2, and 6, he gives us some of the “one another” reminders. In fact, there are 59 times in the New Testament where followers of Jesus are reminded that we are in this thing called life, together! We are reminded that we bear each other’s burdens. No one in Christ ever needs to struggle alone. We have the Holy Spirit but also each other as the family of God.

Other writers remind us to accept one another, love one another, serve one another, bear with each other, be patient with each other, forgive one another, pray for one another and honor each other. Over and over we are reminded when you say “yes” to Jesus, you are adopted into the family of God and treated as family.

Secondly, Paul reminds us in Galatians 6 that with the Holy Spirit living within us, we’ll have an “I won’t quit” attitude in life. The world will never stops giving it to you in bad and difficult ways. There will be days you will want to give up, throw in the towel, and walk away. That’s what the enemy wants you to do.

When I was in basic military training in the 80s, I got off the bus and thought, “What have I done?” Drill instructors were yelling at me constantly. We had to do all kinds of PT and training. Up early every morning. More yelling. Our drill instructor told us in the dorm, here’s a brass bell. If you can’t handle it, just ring the bell and I’ll get you out of here.

For those of us who want to change the world for Jesus, we cannot ring the bell. Things will get difficult from time to time but that’s when we remember we have family in Jesus that will help carry our burden.

Finally, Paul reminds us when you live into the Gospel, the fear of humans shrink and glorying God grows. You begin to discover that you really don’t care what others might say about you or do to you. What matters is the Gospel story and helping others in the world see that there is a better way. Paul says that he was crucified to the world and the world no longer cares about him either. So should it be for all of us who follow Jesus.

Paul finishes by saying, “What counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation.” So that’s my prayer for you. Follow Jesus closely. So closely, the dust of your rabbi settles upon you. Allow the Holy Spirit to work in your life. Difficulties will come. That’s a promise Jesus told us while he was on earth. But he went on to say, have no fear, though, for I have overcome the world. Blessings on your journey.

Freedom and Fruit

In the early ‘90s, I sang with a country music group called Crystal River. We did a monthly 2-hour music show. There were 8 of us and our group numbers together required us to dance during each number. Well, this guy had two left feet and it was hard for me to learn to keep in step with everyone. I did it with lots of practice but it took great effort on my part.

Paul tells us in Galatians 5:25 to “keep in step with the Spirit.” Chapter 5 is all about Paul contrasting several things as he reminds followers of Christ to walk in the Spirit and be led by the Spirit of God.

Paul consistently tells us it is not about how much work you do but it’s the work of Jesus on the cross that makes us right with God. He says in verse 6, “What counts is faith expressing itself through love”. Paul knows a false gospel has been introduced to the church. It’s a gospel that says you need Jesus but you also have the keep the Law. In other words, Jesus is important but keep checking boxes and doing things or God will never be happy with you.

All through Galatians 5, Paul tells us what the real gospel is all about. It’s about what Jesus has done, not about what you do that makes you right with God. He reminds us that the Spirit is greater than the flesh. I often think about the persecution the early followers experienced. The battle that must have gone on internally was no doubt incredibly tense. Most of them had to decide to follow Jesus and die or cave to the fleshly desire to live and walk away from Jesus.

See, our flesh is concerned with performance and presentation. The Law of the flesh says that we want to be seen, honored, respected, and admired. We selfishly pursue those things that will give credit to our sinful nature. We live in this performance-based world and we tend to carry that mentality into our spiritual life.

But the Spirit is concerned with changing our hearts. The Spirit of God wants to move us from hate to love, from a depressed state to one of joy; from chaos to peaceful living, from a non-compassionate spirit to one of kindness; from corrupt living to living the goodness of God; from being untrustworthy to being faithful; from having a heart full of anger to having one of gentleness; from having a short temper to being a person of patience; from being nomadic to being self-controlled.

Paul boils down how to know if you’re keeping in step with flesh or with the Spirit. He lists how we live into our fleshly desires by giving us 15 different ways of living that are not of God. He says, if it’s evident your life has in it “sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties…”, you are living into your fleshly desires. Paul goes on to say if the above represents your life, you will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

But then reminds us that we are called to live like Jesus by listing the fruit of the Spirit which are “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” Paul says we should live this way in abundance every day. It’s then we look like Jesus and are in step with the Spirit.

If you’re brave, you’ll ask someone you love and respect how your life looks. Does it look like your following a selfish path or one that your characteristics look more like the Jesus way? My hope is you’re brave enough to incorporate the fruit of the Spirit in your life…that you are keeping in step with the Spirit. With freedom in Christ, you have all the tools you need to become more like our savior everyday. You no longer have to abide by the desire of the flesh. Embrace Jesus and keep in step with the Spirit. Blessings on your journey.

Living by Faith

I am a huge fan of Google maps. It gets me were I want to go. My dad, however, doesn’t like using the digital maps app. He is old school and using bridges, fallen trees, and stone walls as observation points to get where he’s going. Paul in Galatians is helping us find our way to God. He doesn’t want to chance anything so he keeps reminding us that Jesus is the only thing to make us right with God. Don’t get lost and don’t be confused by vague or wrong directions. Jesus is the only way to be made right with God.

So many people in the world love to pair other things with Jesus, stating it’s that combination that gets you to heaven. Adding anything to Jesus though is false doctrine. Jesus plus nothing equals everything. So it makes me ask the question, “What makes legalism fascinating to people?

One. Legalism appeals to the flesh. I feel better about myself when I do something and don’t leave it up to someone else. Some folks have a mental condition called OCD. OCD is a mental health condition characterized by intrusive, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors or mental acts (compulsions) that people feel driven to perform to reduce anxiety. So when I do something about my salvation, I feel really good about what I have done. I have less anxiety and less dependence on others.

Two. Legalism appeals to the senses. We have a chemical in our brain called dopamine. When we do something good, it releases and we “feel good.” You see this happen when you hold your spouse’s hand or give them a kiss. When you graduate from college or build a shed in your backyard. When we accomplish things, dopamine is released and we feel good about what’s going on in our life.

So, in our spiritual walk, when I do something that’s connected to my salvation, I feel good about what I have done, dopamine is released and creates a feeling of accomplishment. Many times in my spiritual walk, I do things, believing that’s part of my salvation journey. I’m adding to my “good works” and in doing so I believe I’m creating an avenue to get to God. But Paul is reminding us in Galatians, there is nothing you can do to make you right with God. Jesus did that for us and in him we find our righteousness.

Look. There are only two religions in the world: human achievement and divine accomplishment. Every single religion in the world falls under human achievement except for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Human religion says, “Work your way.” Divine accomplishment says, “I am the Way.”

See, Christ has rescued us from the world, sin, the Law. In Galatians 3:13, Paul uses this Greek word, “exagorazo” which means “out of the marketplace.” The imaginary Paul is using is so common in his day. You were a slave, chained and bound…you were not free. But then Jesus showed up at the slave block in the marketplace and bought you. In doing so, we took the key, unchained you and set you free. He didn’t use money but bought you with his blood.

Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:21, “For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.” It’s in Christ that we have been made free. So, don’t add too God’s perfect plan in Christ by adding a checklist of things you have to do to be right with God. Jesus is the only thing we need to be perfect and right. In Jesus, you find real freedom. Blessings on the journey.

Courage Under Fire

You’ve confronted someone when things didn’t look right, right? And I know you have been confronted as well. Humans rarely enjoy conflict and those that do need therapy.

In Galatians 2, Paul tells of a moment when he confronted Peter about his church leadership, reminding him he was not living up to how Jesus called us to follow him. Both Paul and Peter, leaders in the first century church, had come to realize that the Gospel of Jesus was for everyone, not just the Jews. So, in Jerusalem, Peter had begun eating with Gentiles, sitting at their table and living life with them.

But other Jewish Christians called Judaizers believed not only did you need Jesus for salvation, you also had to keep following the Jewish Law (Torah). So these guys put a lot of pressure on Peter and Peter pulled away from the Gentile believers. Peter’s move away created chaos and confusion in the early church. So, Paul called him on it, reminding him that the Gospel was for everyone and the Law no longer controlled the lives of people following Jesus. Peter recognized his mistake and made the necessary corrections to quell the confusion.

This interaction leads us to a question: How do you respond as a follower of Jesus when someone calls you out on something? I mean, whether we are in the wrong or not, we are called to be different than the world. Our response to people who have questions about our actions is a clear indicator of what we believe about Jesus and our discipleship.

Paul reminds us in Ephesians 4:1-3, “I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.” And then he says in Romans 12:16, “Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!” So, even when it’s hurtful, always respond as Jesus would.

My wife is a public school teacher. She was questioning a 4th grade boy about his activity and he shut down. All he would say is, “If you have any questions, ask my mom.” He just repeated this script taught to him by his single mother. So, my wife reached out for a parent meeting. The young mom came into the meeting with condescending looks and words that were mean-spirited. My wife, ever professional, sat just listening. About 4-5 minutes into the meeting, the angry helicopter mom was not getting the same indignant reaction from my wife so she asked, “Why are you acting like that?” Meaning, why are you smiling and listening and not coming back at me.

Well, it’s because my wife is a follower of Jesus. She has listened well to how we are called to act, even when the world is angry and mean. Her response is a clear indication of what she believes. And it should be that way for us as well. Sometimes, it’s exhausting living in a self-centered world while trying to follow the Savior. But it will be worth it. Hang in there. The Spirit will energize you and hold you up. Let your light shine. Blessings on the journey.