“The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, ‘Follow me.’ Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, ‘We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.’ Nathanael said to him, ‘Can anything good come out of Nazareth?’ Philip said to him, ‘Come and see’ ” (John 1:43-46).
Visiting your local zoo can be a great way to spend time with your family. Some of the animals are very visible during the day while others enjoy hiding from the large crowds. When those in hiding eventually come out, the guests begin shouting and calling their families to “come and see.” They want those in their family, both young and old, to see the action, too.
When Jesus began winning disciples, it took careful thought on the part of these men and women to grasp the significance of His presence. Their thoughts must have been, “This is too good to be true.” The disciples challenged and encouraged others to see Jesus for themselves. They not only wanted to talk about Jesus, they wanted people to see Him in action. People want to see real Christians in action.
They are tired of the empty promises, the greedy schemes, and the hypocritical lifestyles. When people meet a genuine believer in action, it is a sight to behold. Unfortunately, the bad examples illustrated by believers seem to outpace the good ones.
Make no mistake; your life influences others to follow Jesus or abandon Him altogether. When you lose your job or suffer from health problems, people are watching. When you correct your children or speak with your spouse, others take notice. When the opportunity to help someone is presented to you, your actions will speak louder than your words.
Someone may say to their close relative, “I found someone who says they are a Christian. Come and see.” If they do, what would they find that reflects Christ in your place of work? What habits would they be able to observe throughout your week? Would they say that you trust God in every area of your life? Would generosity and sacrificial love be observed?
Read: Open your Bible and read Psalms 1:1-6.
Reflect: Prayerfully consider the following: How can delighting in God’s Word strengthen my character? What metaphor describes the change?
Respond: As a result of these truths, what might need to change in my attitude, beliefs, and actions? What steps do I need to take outwardly?
The source of this content comes from our book, Walking with Jesus.