God Uses Our Personality
Most of us admire the apostle Peter for walking on the water toward
Christ. Just as Peter impulsively jumped out of the boat, he
impulsively lived his life.
He’s the disciple who’s usually the first to speak,
the first to act
and the first to question.
He was extravagant.
Outgoing.
Exuberant.
Bold.
Outspoken.
And this is the personality God used to bring Peter
out of the boat and onto the water.
This is the personality God used—through the power
of the Holy Spirit—to bring 3,000 people to salvation with his
first sermon.
And to raise Tabitha from the dead (Acts 9:36-42).
And to heal a lame man who was reduced to a life
of begging (Acts 3:7-8).
And to heal Aeneas—a man who had been
bedridden and paralyzed for eight years (Acts 9:34).
So it’s natural to find ourselves thinking, I wish I could be a Peter.
If only I were more outgoing. Bolder. Impulsive.
Then God could really use me.
Wait a sec!
GOD is the One who created our personalities!
HE is the One who wants to use us in the way He made us.
So yeah . . . Peter walked on water.
The others didn’t. But God still used them in amazing ways, too.
And God wants to use you!
You may not be a Peter. That’s OK.
God made you the way you are for a specific reason.
Think About This
In John 21:3-13, we find Peter, John and a few other disciples
in their boat. They’ve been fishing all night and haven’t caught
anything. Jesus has resurrected Himself from the dead, and He’s on
the beach excited to have breakfast with these guys.
He calls to them.
They don’t recognize Him.
He yells, “Throw your nets on the other side!”
The result?
They catch so many fish, their nets almost break.
John now recognizes Jesus and announces, “It’s the Lord!”
Peter immediately jumps out of the boat and swims ashore.
Jesus has already started the fire and yells,
“Bring some of the fish you have caught.”
Scripture tells us they caught 153 fish.
John and the other disciples stay in the boat.
And they steadily row . . . all the way to shore.
And they don’t lose a single fish.
They caught 153 fish, and they arrived with 153 fish.
Yes, Jesus needs people who will boldly jump out of the boat.
But guess what!
He also needs boat-rowers—
people who will stay in the boat!
Those who won’t jump ship.
He needs disciples who will steadily and consistently
continue to row . . . stroke after stroke . . .
and bring every single fish to shore safely.
He’s looking for disciples who will mentor new Christians,
help them grow spiritually
and bring every single one of them into maturity to Christ—
safely to shore—without losing any.
If John and the others would have jumped into the water,
there would have been no fish for breakfast.
Instead of looking at another Christian and longing to be more like
him or her . . . let’s be content in who God has created us to be . . .
and determine to let Him use the personality He has created within
us. Boat-rowers are just as important to the Kingdom as those who
walk on water.
Thoughts?
Please pray for me this week as I speak in Fishkill, NY.
