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
Wow, that is a powerful thought! They
took note that they had been with Jesus…Oh how I want that to be
said of me! Not for bragging rights or to “toot my own horn,” but
to know that my life reflects Jesus in such a way that others know it
is Him in me.
As we look at this scripture, we see
the religious and governing leaders didn’t think there was anything
extraordinary about Peter and John… except their courage. Peter and
John had been arrested for teaching that Jesus had been raised from
the dead. They had healed a man, and they proclaimed that is was by
the power of Jesus Christ. As they stood in defense of the “charges”
brought against them, their accusers saw that there was nothing
special about these men, but because of their courage in defending
their faith during their difficult circumstances, they knew they had
been with Jesus.
That’s when God is able to receive
glory. When there is nothing special about us, but because we spend
time in his presence, he graciously lets his glory shine through us.
What a privilege!
Yes, we may fool people sometimes. We
may put on a fake smile and use “churchy” lingo, and we may get
by for a while. But what is inside will come out. What is in our
hearts will radiate through our eyes and be spoken from our lips.
(Luke 6:45) I want to be like Moses when his face shown with the
glory of God because he had been in the Lord’s presence. (Exodus
34:29)
There’s so much that can be said of
us, but for someone to take not that we have been with Jesus, what an
honor!