Ever stick your neck out, go out on a limb, risk a thing because you believe in some other thing? Or perhaps gamble your standing in one area of your life because you are so sure about another area? Often we’re presented with these decisions and we weigh them out (pros and cons) trying to discern which one we should go with. It’s USUALLY if not ALWAYS a conscious decision, an educated shift that we’ve come to grips with. A “head” decision. Very rarely do we consciously make a shift in life simply because God said so thereby releasing control of the outcome to Him. (A “soul” decision). We usually weigh it out, become OK with the trade-offs, and then (sometimes) say “just following God’s prompting” knowing deep down we’re following His voice as best we can but also OK with the outcome we’ve computed.
Talk about going out on a limb, last week…
Peter went out on a limb traveling to, staying with, and loving those who were not like him. He did it because God said to, but that didn’t mean there weren’t cultural toes stepped on; and not just cultural preferences, but thousands-year-old cultural laws. I am SURE during the 30 mile trek he was looked at strangely being with those he “shouldn’t have been”, talked about by the Jews all over the area who found out about it and no doubt had the human condition inside of him weighing pros and cons but… he followed what God said even though it could have cost him greatly. Because of the listening, the open-handed way he lived life, his openness to being wrong, his following the Holy Spirit, and his obedience to “go and make disciples” men and women, children, husbands and wives, families were saved! Generations and generations set on a different trajectory. While we don’t know if Peter weighed out the pros and cons, the “how am I going to explain this” or if he just went inspired by the vision he had – we know he went, lives were saved and because of the account in Acts 11 he had some ‘splainin to do when he got back!
This chapter does an incredible job of showing his humility in leadership, his ability to courageously tell the story of what happened (confirmed by those who were with him), and then the posture of the “church” who instead of staying in their ways, followed what God was doing and said, “let it be so”. Could there perhaps be anything in your Christianity that God wants to progress, shift, change, or completely get rid of? If Peter needed a vision from God to change his outlook on who deserved Jesus and who didn’t – might we?
Thank you for going through this book of Acts together. I hope it has been a light to your path and deepened your faith and relationship with Jesus. The church did and can still shape culture through the Acts of the Holy Spirit. Let us continue to take the passenger seat and let Him lead us into new territory, new relationships, moments that stretch us into becoming more like Him and loving others well no matter the circumstances!
Just another example that the world needs a better story, let’s go tell it!