How easily are you convinced of something new? Are you easily convinced? Or does it take overwhelming evidence to convince you? Do you go along with the crowd? Or are you willing to stand alone for what is right? Do you dig to discover the truth?
We all fall for something that isn’t true at some point in our lives. It may be that someone we trust is playing a trick on us. However, if we regularly fall for it, we are not learning the lesson we need to learn. On the other hand, being convinced of truth should not require overwhelming evidence.
Simon Peter was a fisherman. He was someone who was both reactionary and yet skeptical. He needed to have hard evidence to be convinced. Yet, he often reacted immediately to defend what he believed to be right. He was convinced, based on what he had seen with his own eyes, that Jesus was the Messiah. So, when Jesus asked if the disciples wanted to leave Him, Peter immediately and emphatically responded.
Are we convinced Jesus is the Messiah? Are we easily led astray? We may give Peter a hard time for being reactionary, but Peter stood for what he knew to be true. We should, too. When other try to lead astray, we should stand our ground, speak up, and continue to obey Jesus. If we know without a doubt that Jesus is the Son of God, that He has given Himself for our forgiveness, and given us eternal life, we should honor Him in all we do.
I wonder if we have lost the concept of God being holy and Jesus being his perfect and holy Son sent to save us. Jesus tells us to be perfect as the Father is perfect (Matthew 5:48). To pursue that perfection, we must first be convinced that Jesus is who He says he is, and God is who he says he is. Are we convinced?
I pray we all seek to know the truth. I pray we are convinced that Jesus is the Son of God. I pray each one of us will stand for Jesus, as Peter did, and follow His words of eternal life. Seek the truth. Be convinced of Jesus. Stand for Jesus. Follow His commands. Follow His guidance.
John 6:67-69 So Jesus asked the twelve, “Do you also wish to go away?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.”
Marty Pressey 