Chickadee
John Miller
02/15/21
- Windstream Mail
R E F L E C T I O N S Thoughts on nature and the Christian faith - 2/15/21 ____________________________________________________________________ "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." - Acts 4:13 |
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Of all the birds that frequent the feeders and woods around our home the chickadee is by far the most common. These little fellows are also the bravest. They have little fear of us, allowing us to approach within a few feet before flying. I haven't tried it yet, but I think if I stood still with bird seed in my outstretched hand they would land on my fingers to feed. They may be common, but they brighten my day just to watch them. It just proves that common things can be special if we just take the time to get to know them. The early Christians were certainly common. Most were poor, not highly educated or prominent in their culture. But they surely got the attention of those who knew them. They witnessed to the person of Jesus with clarity and boldness but without fear. They did not attempt to blend in with their world, but sought to confront it with both love and a radical message of repentance and faith. The one thing those who heard them knew for sure - they had been with Jesus. There is a vast difference between knowing about Jesus and knowing Jesus. One is an exercise of the mind, the other is an experience of the heart. Being born again is more than having a change of mind, it is having a change of heart and character, a transformation into a new creature. And it is something others can observe. Most people who are around Christians today will testify that we are religious, but will they sense we have been with Jesus? God alone can transform common people into bold witnesses. God knows those who know him. And he also knows those who are just pretending. - John
