How many of you enjoy people-watching? We certainly do. Not in a creepy way. lol. I don’t mean greedy either. Mostly out of curiosity.
Yesterday, as I was sitting at a table at a local restaurant, I noticed a young woman sitting at a nearby table facing the fireplace. She was busy working on her laptop with her back to me. I wondered what her story was, what she was working on, and how long she had been there. Then I imagined my own story about her. When she finally turned around and I saw her face, the whole story I had been spinning in my head changed. That’s when I decided she was a medical student writing a paper.
Observation… In my case, I was building a story based on the tools this woman had and her approach to work. But when I saw her face and demeanor, I matched those observations with new information that changed my story. Indeed, my story…I did not yet have a complete image of this woman: her history, her hopes and dreams, her likes and dislikes, her personality.
We do this too often. Whether it’s an accidental interaction with a stranger or meeting new people, we create an account in our heads that doesn’t fully understand who that person really is. Sometimes we judge too harshly. It can also make us less perceptive and cause problems in the future. In both cases, people are much better
More than looks, work, or attitude…
Each of us has hidden truths that affect who we are as people. Circumstances that may have shaped our humanity. For some it may have been traumatizing, for others it may have been a very loving family. Either way, these hidden truths can be debilitating or empowering.
As believers, we have a hidden truth living within us: the Holy Spirit. Jesus moves within us to walk as Jesus walked, love as Jesus loved, and live for the glory of God. Hidden truths sometimes move in mysterious ways and not as expected, especially when based on first appearances. But how it unfolds is the important story.
I think our approach to understanding Biblical characters would be further enhanced if we did not just look at them superficially, but instead explored hidden truths that give us a deeper perspective on who they are as people and why God used them.
Let’s take a look at the hidden truths of three Biblical characters and how these truths act as catalysts in their lives and how we can be encouraged by them.
Peter: Don’t look at the waves! You’ll sink!
But Jesus immediately said to them, “Be of good courage; it is I. Do not be afraid.” “Lord, if you are the one, tell me to come to you on the water,” Peter answered. Jesus said, “Come.” Then Peter gets out of the boat and walks on the water toward Jesus. When Peter sees a strong wind, he becomes frightened and begins to sink. He cries out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out and grabbed him. Matthew 14:27-31
Of all the disciples, Peter was considered arrogant due to his impulsive, overconfident, and outspoken nature. In this Bible story, we also see Peter impulsively asking Jesus to draw him to him on the water. When he started walking and saw the waves, I think he thought, “What was he thinking??” It turned into a very humbling “come to Jesus” moment when he began to sink and had no choice but to cry out to Jesus to help him.
This experience shaped Peter as an apostle of God establishing the church. It’s all due to Peter’s growing faith, his ability to stay focused on Jesus, and above all his deeper understanding of the need to rely solely on God’s power. This hidden truth prepared Peter to take on the role of not only leading God’s church but also spreading the gospel with courageous determination.
What can we learn from Peter’s hidden truth?
When our eyes are fixed on Jesus, no matter how difficult our circumstances may seem, he will sustain and guide us. God is our Heavenly Father. There’s no need to be afraid. Just like when we were little, we felt safe when our father was around. The Lord is our ever-present help – we are safe.
If we step out in faith, trust Him completely, and put aside our own worries, we can accomplish whatever God calls us to do.
We have learned that our true strength comes from surrendering to the Lord and allowing Him to work through us.
Paul: The direction you’re going in may not be what God says is best for you.
“Meanwhile, Saul was still issuing death threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest and asked for a letter to the synagogue in Damascus, where he told him that if he found anyone of the Way, male or female, he might take them as captives to Jerusalem. As he approached Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” “Lord, who are you?” Saul asked. “I
“Now get up and go into town,” he answered, “and you will be told what you must do.” Acts 9:1-6
Before his conversion, Paul was a self-proclaimed zealot for his father’s tradition. He felt that he was doing the right thing by God by upholding Jewish traditions. As a result, he set out to destroy all who stood in his way of his mission.
But God…stopped Saul and redirected his steps. The very course that Saul thought was best caused Paul to change course and follow Jesus through his encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus. Not only that, God also rescued hidden truths in the life of the apostle Paul. Because he was passionate about Jesus and the gospel.
Paul’s hidden truth shows us a scenario where following the rules doesn’t work. It’s funny because I follow clear rules and have always considered myself to be doing the right thing. Certainly, I do not persecute Christians in the name of following rules. But as a believer, following the rules can actually be a stumbling block. Let me explain…
As believers, we have been set free by the blood of the Lamb. We are no longer under the rule of law, but under the rule of grace. We want to make sure that going to church, praying, spending time in the Word, serving, etc. are all done with intention and love for the Lord and not just to check off an item on a “checklist of spiritual rules.” Because if our mind is not there, we are just going through the motions, and that boils down to religion. When we are doing these things in communion with the Lord, it is about relationship.
The rules are good. When following the rules, you need to check your heart.
Abraham: Even if it doesn’t make sense, try it!
“After a while God tested Abraham. God said to him, ‘Abraham!'” “Here I am,” he answered. Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah.” “…When they arrived at the place God had told them, Abraham built an altar there and set the wood on it. He bound Isaac his son and laid him on the wood on the altar. Then he stretched out his hand and took a knife to kill his son. But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, saying, “Abraham!” Abraham! ” “Here I am,” he answered. “Keep your hands off the boy,” he said. Abraham said, “Do nothing to him, for I know that you fear God, for you did not withhold from me your son, your only son.” Abraham looked up and saw a ram in the bushes caught by its horns. He went there and took a ram and offered it as a burnt offering in place of his son. ” Genesis 22:1-2; 9-13
Can you imagine? He is asked to sacrifice his son. Abraham believed in God so much that he tried to stick to it. Some speculate that he believed that God could raise his son from the dead. I don’t know if there was such a history, but
That’s not yet. Either way, Abraham believed that God would provide. And indeed he did, just at the moment Abraham was about to kill his son, the angel of the Lord stopped him. Abraham looked and saw a sacrificial lamb in the bush. As a result, the Lord said that since he did not offer up his only begotten Son, he would surely bless him and make his descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky.
This hidden truth is an important part of many chapters of Abraham’s story. By this act of obedience, God bestowed a double blessing on him and his descendants. This blessing is also enjoyed by Christians today. If Abraham had found the demands too outrageous and had not stepped forward in faith, those blessings would not have come. Please understand that…
Abraham’s hidden truth is that the Lord only calls us to do something that He will be with us for, and even if what He asks of us doesn’t make sense to us, He will provide. It may be picking up and moving into another state where you feel the Lord is calling you into ministry. You may have to quit your job for some reason
Contrary to your Christian identity. You may end up ending a relationship that seems perfect, but deep down you know it’s not right. It may mean accepting a ministry position for which you feel unqualified. Either way, when you trust in the Lord’s provision rather than the fact that it doesn’t make sense to you, you will be blessed and may in turn bless others.
Dear Lord, we thank you for the saints of old and their hidden truths that encourage us even today. In the name of Jesus, amen.
Which of the stories from the Bible characters listed above resonate with you?Whose lessons can you put into practice in your situation?
Photo credit: iStock/Getty Images Plus/yokeetod
Karen Dell Tattoo is a blogger, author, women’s ministry leader, pastor’s wife, mother, and grandmother who is passionate about God’s Word. Her blog, “Growing Together in Grace and Knowledge,” and her books, “Choosing to Trust God: Breaking the Habit of Worry,” “A 30-Day Devotional,” and “Choosing to Trust God Companion Journal,” reveal her heart offering biblical insights to inspire women to grow in, through, and overcome hardship. Karen and her husband live in Rhode Island and enjoy walking in the woods, petting owls, and spending time with their grandchildren.
