HAVE YOU BUILT YOUR CONVICTIONS?

Reference text: Matthew 16:23-33

Jesus’ first question today ‘who do men say that I am’ wouldn’t have caught caught His disciples by surprise. He knew they were hearing all the discussions going on as they travelled with Him, and they were aware of the views people held of Him. So they spewed answers rather quickly: John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah or one of the prophets. Yet, it is the second question that drives Jesus’ point home ‘who do you say that the son of man is? This time, it was no longer about others, but about them.

To a very large extent, we form our opinions of others based on the information we receive. Before meeting any individual, we scout for second hand information about them and begin to build our image of them. Because of such information, which is not experiential, we may form conclusions about others that may not be entirely accurate.

Jesus was checking with the disciples: ‘have the opinions of others about me affected what you think about me personally?’ Beloved, not everyone has a good report about others, and that may be with valid reason or malicious intent. It is important  then that in our own way, we scrutinize all view points for veracity. If required, build a personal conviction through experience.

That is the basis for our relationship with Jesus because while men see him as Elijah, or John the Baptist, and Peter sees Him as the Christ, the son of God, you may see Him as the Prince of peace, as Healer or as author and finisher of our faith.

Others will have things to say, but you need to have you very own convictions about Jesus.

Who do you say He is?

#sly