Been With Jesus?

ACT 4:13 NIV

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.

The power of association is Amazing. People judge you, rightly or wrongly, by the company that you keep. The characteristics that surround you show the kind of behaviour you permit or allow, and is a reflection of who you are or what you aspire to be. That is why friends are not to be chosen lightly.

It is the same for us as Christians. We were called out to stand out from the crowd, to dare to be different, and to speak out in defence of the faith we profess. Unfortunately, because we are not even sure of who or what we believe, we just flow in and out of the crowd, adopting the behaviour and traits of the people around us, forgetting that as people who profess to be Christians, we have been set on a hill for everyone to see and observe, and everything we do is measured by the standard of truth itself, the Word of God. You will be amazed just how much unbelievers know about God's standards.  Statements like: "And you call yourself a Christian" is strong proof that they know the truth but they choose not to follow it, but we who claim to know must live up to the standard.

Peter and John didn't even have minimum basic education. They had no rich background, but their lives showed the power of the right kind of association. They knew who they believed in and what He wanted from them and they followed his instructions closely. No wonder then, that people looking at them could see clearly that these men had been with Jesus. A man who had just sworn, denying Jesus, was now speaking publicly for him.

Indeed, there's no life that comes in contact with Life himself that remains the same. Men will know the quality of your confession through your life's contents. Who you believe and follow will be revealed by the things that you do. Can men look at me and say, of a truth, I have been with Jesus? Can men testify that my life reflects his touch and grace? His time of favour is here.