Listen and Decide

May 12 Monday of the 4th week of Easter: 

A thought for those who want to reveal the risen Jesus in their lifestyle.

Acts 11:1-18; Psalm 42:2-3; 43:3, 4; John 10:11-18

“The Spirit told me to accompany them without discriminating.” Acts 11:12

To bear prophetic witness to Christ, we have to give up our fear of making personal decisions. Peter accepted non-Jews into the Church before the Christians knew there was any community to belong to except Israel. Jesus’ New Law did not abolish the Jewish rules and practices, so Christians kept them all—until Peter baptized uncircumcised Gentiles who ate “unclean” food and knew nothing of the Temple or the Sabbath. It is a wonder the Christians themselves didn’t stone him!

Peter explained, “The Spirit told me to accompany them without discriminating… the Holy Spirit fell upon them as it had upon us at the beginning… God gave them the same gift he gave to us… Who was I to hinder God?”

Because Peter had the courage to believe in and follow God’s voice in his heart, he took the Church in a new direction. Prophets don’t foretell the future; they create it. Without the prophets we stagnate.

We are all anointed as prophets. If we are afraid to make personal decisions, afraid to stand alone, we will stagnate with others “in darkness and in the shadow of death.” If we dare to set out alone—with God—others will follow.

PRAY: “Send forth your Spirit. Our hearts will be regenerated. And you will renew the face of the earth.”

PRACTICE: Make a list of things you do as a Christian that come from your personal decisions.