My dad was quite the handy man. When I got married and later had a house of my own, any time I encountered a household problem, I would never hesitate to jump in to try to fix the problem. But that wasn’t because I was handy, it’s because my dad was. I knew my dad wasn’t just capable, he was more than willing to help because that meant he got to spend time with me. It’s not just who my dad was in a general sense–it’s who he was for me. My dad.
In Acts 4, Peter and John were brought before the council, including the high priest, to be questioned about healing a paralytic. Luke writes, “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.”
Peter and John had been with Jesus, and they knew Him not just theoretically or abstractly; they knew who He was for them. Jesus was the Son of Man who came not to be served, but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many. He had washed their feet, served them in countless ways, and ultimately, laid down his life for them.
Peter and John weren’t afraid to get into confrontations with the leaders of the Jewish community–the leaders of their community–because they had been with Jesus.
“If God is for us, then who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31) This doesn’t give us a license for reckless living, but it does call us to fearless living because of who Jesus is for us. So sit down and write that letter, make that phone call, or take that step of obedience into the life where God is calling you.
Dragon Creek 