Bold Faith

Acts 4:13 The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men who had had no special training. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus.

This verse has always challenged me. I want to be like Peter and John. I want others who see and know me to know that I have been with Jesus. I want to be so connected to the Lord that there is no mistake about it in how I live.

Notice that it wasn’t their education that made Peter and John stand out. If anything, there lack of education would be noticed. They were ordinary men, fishermen by trade. They had no pedigree that would get them noticed. They would have been scarcely noticed, especially by those who were educated and in seats of authority. Peter and John were just common people, just like most of us. Yet, there was something quite noticeable about them.

Peter and John stood out from the crowd because they oozed the life of Jesus. They were not impressed by the Jewish leaders. They did not hold back their witness because of who they were with. They boldly proclaimed Christ to all they could. Why? They were passionately committed to Christ. They knew He was indeed God who had come in human flesh. They knew that He alone was the way to heaven and they were driven by their compassion for the lost. They had the heart of God for others and were not willing that any would be lost. They boldly proclaimed the Gospel message so that as many people as possible would hear it and perhaps be saved.

Are we as driven by our love for Christ as Peter and John were? Are we telling as many people as possible about our salvation? If not, why not? Isn’t the soul of man far more important than anything else in life?

If you find yourself not caring enough about the lost souls of others, I implore you to fall on your knees before God and stay there until he changes your heart.