Comfort Zone (Part 2)

Mark 14:67-68

And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, “You also were with Jesus of Nazareth.” But he denied it, saying, “I neither know nor understand what you are saying.” And he went out on the porch, and a rooster crowed.

Do you look like Jesus?

When was the last time someone observed you and reported to another that you are a Christian? When was the last time someone at your office got encouraged by your faith? When was the last time a stranger testified that you are a follower of Jesus? What are your immediate thoughts and answers to these? Do you look like Jesus?

Here is brother Peter in Mark 14:67-68, whose master had just been arrested and facing execution. He felt the next best thing to do at the time was to warm himself up, instead of watching and being alert. In the earlier verse Mark 14:38, Jesus had told Peter to watch and prayer lest he fell into temptation but there he was warming himself despite the master's predicament. This could be referred to as unguarded moment or a comfort zone where Peter might have felt he didn't want to be bothered at the time. But notice what happened next, someone just looked at him and said 'you have been with Jesus of Nazareth!'. What an observation? You have been with Jesus! It is possible she and others had seen him before with Jesus, or was it about the way he looked or dressed or talked. In fact in Mark 14:72 they told brother Peter 'your speech or language even gives you away' and that was after he had denied Jesus the third time. It was quite unfortunate that brother Peter could not stand forth at the time to take his stand for Jesus. Brother Peter is not alone in this as we ourselves appear to have assumed a 'warming up' position and attitude in church and society today. Though we claim to be followers of Jesus, yet we are barely identified in a crowd as one. We have remained passive in situations when we could witness for Jesus. And often we are not able to stand when confronted about our faith in Jesus. Comfort Zone! We appear not to want to be bothered, just like brother Peter was warming himself up. We are called Christian but often our actions say no to Jesus. But we are meant to be light in the darkness around us. Matthew 5:16 says 'Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven'. Yes we are light and we can break off from our comfort zone to shine forth for Jesus! Brother Peter eventually stood forth for Jesus with all boldness and zeal. Acts 4:13 attests to this ...'Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus'. Oh hallelujah! There was a reflection that they had been with Jesus. You too can shine for Jesus today. Take your stand and shine forth.

Do have a wonderful week and God bless you.