Shaped for the Extraordinary
This devotional was written by Leslie Snyder
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 been with Jesus. —Acts 4:13
Jell-O is amazing. It can be made into almost any shape and comes in almost any flavor. Despite its use in something as simple as Jigglers for an after school snack or as the key ingredient in an elaborate dessert, Jell-O, at its core, is quite simple. Jell-O is even used to celebrate special events. For example, my 16th birthday fell during the Lenten Season, which I was observing for the first time. I had given up sweets (a critical food group for any teenager) so my mom made me a Jell-O mold garnished with fruit and candles. Although it didn’t hold its shape after the initial cut, it was a beautiful thing…the ordinary made extraordinary.
That’s how our lives are described when we spend time with Jesus. In the Scripture above, Peter and John are on trial before the ruling authorities of the day called the Sanhedrin. Peter and John have been healing the blind, crippled, and sick and were basically stirring up quite a commotion among the religious leaders. However, when they stood in front of the Sanhedrin, the rulers noticed something very peculiar. These were common men, fishermen to be exact. They had no formal titles and no formal schooling or training. Yet, they spoke and acted with a boldness and courage that obviously came from somewhere else – or more specifically – from Someone else. Take a look at what the religious leaders took note of: Peter and John had been with Jesus.
Spending time with Jesus has a way of turning the ordinary, common, everyday life into one that is dangerous, bold and courageous. Just as Jell-O takes the shape of whatever mold it is poured into, our lives begin to take the shape of the One in whom we pour ourselves. In all honesty, most of us are pretty ordinary. But, when we regularly spend time with Jesus, others will take notice, for there is no doubt that time with Jesus transforms us.
Today, maybe you feel like just another ordinary person living an ordinary life. The good news is that your life has the potential of being extraordinary. Spend time with Jesus and let him remold your life into something extraordinary.
GOING DEEPER:
Scripture records many instances of Jesus going off to isolated places to pray and be with His Father. For life transformation to occur, we also need this time of solitude with God. Make time today to begin this life-changing habit.
FURTHER READING:
Acts 4:1-22
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