Monday Morning Devotion-October 21, 2024
Just Plain You
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 with Jesus. Acts 4:13
*from October 16, 2017
Let me say this up front. No matter how much I talk about my writing, my books, my public speaking, my accomplishments and try to build them up. No matter how much bragging I feel constrained to do. When it comes right down to it, I am Just Plain Jim.
Now before you say "Geez, what am I reading his stuff for. He's just a plain guy. He is not anything special" let me point out that you are Just Plain _____substitute Joe or Susie or whatever your name is.
Don't get offended because I didn't say that we aren't special. We are! In God's eyes and in His knowing-everything-about-everything-and-everybody each one of us is special. How do I know that?
It's easy. Just look around. You'll find that there are not any two people who are exactly alike…even twins, even though they have a lot about them that is identical, they may have some things that are different.
That's why it is important to remember when, as my mother used to say, "We are getting too big for our britches (southern for pants)" we are taking the wrong attitude. It's not that we aren't special. It is not that God hasn't gifted each of us with our own unique talents and specialties, because He has. It is just that when we come right down to it, we are Just Plain Jims.
That's a good thing. Why? Because God can do miraculous things through ordinary, just plain folks.
Peter and John were going up to the temple one day and a man, who was crippled from birth, was being carried to the gate so he could beg for money. When the cripple saw Peter and John about to enter the temple he begged them for money.
Peter said to him: "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk." Then taking him by the right hand, Peter helped him up and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong, and he began to walk.
When all the people saw him walking and praising God, they recognized him as the same man who sat begging at the temple gate, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. Acts 3:6-10
Later when the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came along and heard Peter and John preaching to the people and proclaiming resurrection through Jesus, they arrested them.
Here's what Peter said to them: "If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed.
He is the stone you builders rejected which has become the capstone. Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."
Now these Sadducees were familiar with Peter and John. They knew they were uneducated, just fishermen-type of commonplace guys. There was nothing special about these two that they could discern. So, what right did they have to be preaching to these people and filling their heads with this nonsense? They were just being a nuisance, and a stop must be placed on them before this nonsense spread.
In fact, they noted that there was only one thing these two guys had in common that was different from them and the rest of the people. They had been with this fellow named Jesus that they kept talking about even though he was dead.
So that was the answer. These two guys were just deriving their boldness from this relationship they had with this fellow Jesus. He showed them how to preach like this. They were partly right and partly wrong.
A commentary on www.biblehub.com points out. "As long as the Apostles had His (Jesus) personal presence with them, there was no perceptible transforming or elevating process going on in them; and it was not until after they had lost that corporeal presence that there came upon them the change which even the prejudiced eyes of these judges could not help seeing.
The explanation from the writer of Acts can be discerned when we read how he begins verse 4:8 "Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit said to them…" That's it. He could boldly state his case because he was being led by Jesus through the Holy Spirit.
And oh, yeah there was one other thing that was different about these plain old fellows.
They had just healed a crippled man. A guy for whom it had always been necessary to be carried to the temple gate so he could beg for money. Hmm!
Now they had a problem. They had to figure out what to do with these guys. They whispered back and forth. "What are we going to do with them? Everybody living around here knows they have done this outstanding miracle; we can't deny that.”
Since they were afraid of the backlash from the crowd if they punished Peter and John, they just warned them:
"OK you can go but don't be preaching that stuff about this man Jesus and saying things in his name." Then after further threats they let them go.
But the man who had been crippled all his life and was now 40 years old had been healed and he was still there as a reminder to them that these two ordinary men had been speaking the truth. They had to let Peter and John go "for all the people were praising God for what had happened."
It doesn't matter if you are Just Plain Peter, Just Plain John, Just Plain Jim or Just Plain You. You are special to God and through His Holy Spirit you become empowered to do wonderful things.
Prayer: Lord we are just plain people who become more than conquerors through your love and your Spirit. Thank You. Amen!