August 5 - Courage is Noticed

August 5 - Courage is Noticed
Acts 4:13

“When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.”

Every day, ordinary people act courageously. They leap out of their car when they see an accident to pull those involved free, no matter that they might place themselves in danger. Firefighters walk into fire, police move into dangerous situations, parents confront their children who have walked away from doing what is right, friends stand up to bullies.  The list goes on and on.

Peter and John had stood before the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem.  They stood before Annas and Caiaphas, who had not long before, put their best friend on a cross to die.  They were there to defend themselves for healing a crippled man.

Their words lifted up Jesus Christ when they said, “It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you completely healed … Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:10-12)

People remembered that these men had been with Jesus and they heard the words Peter and John said that day. They saw the man who had been healed and those people were praising God.

The Sanhedrin was hoping to crush this little band of disciples. They thought they had done what was necessary by killing their leader, but his death and resurrection gave Peter and John courage to not only reach out with healing in their hands, but to face down those who would have them imprisoned.

They were freed and returned to their friends.

The Lord’s touch on their lives gave them courage.  You can have that same courage to reach out to others with healing and love.  Take it!