“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, NIV). You cannot spend time with Jesus and remain the same. Even the religious leaders who looked for a reason to punish Peter and John for their faith noticed that they had been with Jesus by their fruit of courage and wisdom.
Can the same be said about you? Do people see your fruit and take note that you have been with Jesus? As we see in John’s story, he went from being known as the Son of Thunder to being the one whom Jesus loved. Jesus willingly accepts us where we are, but he loves us too deeply to allow us to stay that way. By his death and resurrection, we are new creations.
The more we connect with Jesus, the more he will mold us into the new creation we were made to be. He melts away anger. He replaces malice with love. He replaces selfishness with sacrifice. He replaces pride with humility. He defeats our shame and guilt. He gives us a peace that surpasses understanding and a hope that cannot be shaken. The more we connect to the vine, the more this fruit becomes abundant in our lives.
We cannot connect with Jesus and remain the same. If you want to know about your connection to Jesus, ask those people closest to you to tell you the fruit that they see in your life (the fruit, not what you’ve produced). Though they cannot judge your connection, they can see your fruit. If your life is full of envy, malice, anger, idolatry, immorality, gossip, selfishness, greed, or pride then evaluate your connection with Jesus. If your life is filled with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, thankfulness, generosity, self-control and humility, then you have evidence that you are connected to the vine.
Reflection/Discussion Question: In what ways has Jesus changed you as you’ve pursued connection with him?
Comments