Jesus often reveals himself one step at a time.
When we look at the life of the Apostle Peter, we see there were multiple touch points that led to Peter taking off and choosing to follow Jesus.
There was one day, in my own life, when I stood and watched my Father as he was helping one of my daughters learn to ride her bike. He encouraged her and he held on to the seat and walked behind her, steadying her. Then he let go. She did not know that he had let go, but he continued to shout encouragements. It wasn’t until she put her feet down to stop, after riding all around, that she realized grandpa was no longer holding on. He was close, but she was riding on her own. It was the multiple interactions with her bike, and encouragements from my Father, that had built up to this moment.
In a way, following Jesus is similar. He reveals who he is and that begins to push change in us. We become familiar with Jesus and we learn who we really are and how to walk with him, one small step building upon the other. As we put into practice the life he calls us to, we begin to take off. He does not leave us, but encourages us to ride and flourish.
We first encounter Peter in Matthew 4:18-22; Lk 5:1-11; and John 1:35.
If we put each moment in chronological order, the passage from the gospel of John would come first. This would suggest there was a progression for Peter coming to follow Jesus with multiple touch points that led up to him dropping his fishing nets. Before calling Peter to a full-on following though, Jesus let Peter come to him. Then as Peter’s understanding of who Jesus was increased, there was an adjustment to Peter’s commitment to him. The same is true in our own lives. As our knowledge of who Jesus is goes deeper, there will be a call to change in our own life.
When I look back upon the many stories I have heard of people coming to follow Jesus, each one generally has multiple touch points, either from reading the gospel or from actual experiences of Jesus. Like a rudder on a sail boat, the touch may be small, but over time there will be a great impact.
Try this exercise:
Take a moment and look back over the year. Where have you seen God at work in your life or in another? Write them down.
God seems to reveal himself to us in small portions in order to push us toward him. Sometimes there is one big experience, but for most of us, we experience small pushes that have the potential to redirect our lives in big ways.
Jesus often reveals himself one step at a time. Over the last few months, what has he been revealing to you?
We see in Peter’s story a number of interactions with Jesus. This brings change in Peter’s life. As our knowledge of who Jesus is goes deeper, there will be a call to change in our life. This will be a change that leads to wholeness; a change that leads us to producing the fruit we were created for.
Where is Jesus pushing into your life and challenging you?