Flex & Reflect

This is my sister-in-law and me at our last lunch together before we parted from Thanksgiving break. Despite our distance, the Holiday’s have proven to be a sweet time where we catch up and celebrate what God has done in our lives, and talk through struggles we face as moms and wives. Without any sisters of my own, I have to say I am incredibly blessed to have three wonderful, loving, supportive sister-in-law’s.

I notice when I am around my sister-in-law Sijie, her “singlish” (Singapore-English) starts rubbing off on me. My words become a reflection of her and her culture. We laugh at the “Sijie-isms” I inherit as we spend time together. The more time I spend with her, the more I sounds like her – my inflection changes and my word choice alters. My ear is sensitive to how she communicates and subconsciously I flex to be more like her.

What happens to me as I spend time with Sijie is not unlike what should happen as I spend time in prayer, reading, studying and meditating on scripture. Spending time in God’s word provides the opportunity for my word choice, my inflection, my mannerisms and my perspective to flex and reflect Him.

Acts 4:13 (AMP) says, “Now when the men of the Sanhedrin (Jewish High Court) saw the confidence and boldness of Peter and John, and grasped the fact that they were uneducated and untrained [ordinary] men, they were astounded, and began to recognize that they had been with Jesus.

Acts tells us that Peter and John were bold despite their perceived limitations. The Classic edition of the Amplified Bible says they had, “boldness and unfettered eloquence” as they spoke with the highest, most learned teachers of the scriptures. How was it possible to act in confidence despite a clear disadvantage?

Simple. Peter and John had been with Jesus.

The highest educated men of the Sanhedrin could not ignore that with Jesus greatness is encountered. The uneducated filled with great wisdom and understanding. The powerless receive power. The chained are set free. The blind given sight. The bent over are made to stand up. The voiceless given a voice.

Time with Jesus changes us. Time with Jesus equips us. Time with Jesus gives us confidence.

How awesome would it be to go through the day with this kind of confidence? How awesome to walk with shoulders back and head held high – not in cocky arrogance- but because of living power source, Jesus, guides us.

This verse begs the question, have you spent time with Jesus? Have you let Him rub off on you, mold you and shape your thinking? Can others tell that you have been with Jesus? Can they see the insight and the wisdom you bring is not possible based solely on your education or experience? Are you flexing your will and thoughts to reflect His instead?