Day 312 - they had been with Jesus

Acts 4:13 has been a text that has stuck with me throughout the years: Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.

I realize that the second sentence most immediately points to the council realizing that Peter and John had been followers of Jesus and were associated with him. But I also believe that there is an aspect where their character, their boldness, their firmness in truth, along with their compassion for the lost and needy also displayed that they had been with Jesus. Those of us who are followers of Christ ought to long to be recognized as having been with Jesus. We ought to desire deeply to be known as those who are like Jesus.

I believe this is important all the time as we are called to be conformed to Jesus (cf. Romans 8:29; 12:2; 1 Peter 1:14,15). But this week has been an eventful one, and it’s a time that can highlight the divide in our country. I pray that it also is a time that reveals to those around each of us that we have been with Jesus. I pray that our lives reflect the fullness of grace and truth (cf. John 1:14) that we find in our Savior.