Former Blackout Artist

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” “Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.” Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” – Matt. 16:13-16

When Jesus asked his disciples who the people were claiming him to be, it wasn’t because Jesus was unaware of what the people were saying about him. Nor was he concerned about public opinion and his public persona. The ultimate reason Jesus asked them was because he was provoking them to reveal the depth of their own faith, as his disciples. “But who do you say I am?”

If you were to ask people on the streets today who Jesus is, undoubtedly you’d get dozens of different responses. But let’s flip the question around. What if someone asked our family, friends, our coworkers and neighbors who we are? What would they say? Would their responses be different? Would they even know that we follow Jesus?

In his book, The Radical Disciple, John Stott makes a profound claim:

“When Christians care for each other and for the deprived, Jesus Christ becomes more visibly attractive.”

In other words, how we live and treat each other within our Christian communities truly matters. The mutual love and care not only strengthens the bonds among believers, but also serves as a powerful testimony to the world, making Jesus more appealing through the love we share.

Jesus said, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples if you love one another” (John 13:35).

And in caring for the needy, we encounter Jesus in a profound way. There exists an intimate connection between our acts of compassion and the compassionate nature of Christ. When we extend our care to the marginalized, we not only help meet their earthly needs, but also encounter the divine presence of Jesus, making his attractiveness more visible to the world.

Jesus said, “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ “ (Matt. 25:40)

Or as a pastor from a church I attended many years ago once said, “Do your best to imitate Jesus every day. You might be the only Bible someone will ever read.”

Who we are may not matter to some, but it should always matter to us.