When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. Acts 4:13
Peter and John were unschooled, ordinary men yet because they had been with Jesus, people could see the difference. They saw their courage. Jesus had recently been crucified yet his followers were unafraid to proclaim the same message that caused his death. Their courage wasn’t something they manufactured. It came from the Presence of God in their lives.
This verse reminds me of Moses’ prayer in the wilderness, he prayed, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?” (Exodus 33:15-16).
It’s not what we do that makes people realise we are Christians. People can be law-abiding citizens without God. People can help others without God. People can be philanthropists without God. The thing which sets us apart is the Presence of God because it changes us on the inside. We can’t manufacture it or fake it. It comes from God because we have spent time with Jesus.
It’s only when we allow God to fill our lives with His Presence that it will become obvious to others. This doesn’t happen when we are full of ourselves. It doesn’t become obvious until we have died to ourselves, our ambitions, our preferences, our desires.
Is anyone astonished because of what God has done in our lives? Does anyone notice that we have been with Jesus?
