The Secret to Character Transformation

Daily Devotional – Sunday, May 6, 2023
Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.
Acts 4:13-14 (NKJV)

You are the inventor of a revolutionary product or service that has the potential to transform humanity. What calibre of people will you include in your think-tank? Contemporary top-notch business moguls will go for the best brains and impeccable resumes.

Turning the World Upside Down

Not so with Jesus. When time had come to assemble his dream team, He chose uneducated and poor Galilean fishermen and men of no significant pedigree. In fact, the most prominent of the twelve was Matthew, a tax collector, a public enemy Number 1.

How could this group of nobodies transform the world? Well, several years after their inauguration into Christ’s inner circle, and after the death of their Master, the influence of the twelve was so powerful that they were among those, “…who have turned the world upside down.” (Acts 17:6).

They Had Been with Jesus?

What was the secret to the character makeover of Peter and co? We find a hint in Acts chapter 4. Peter and John are before the Sanhedrin, facing accusations of preaching Jesus against the prohibitions of the elders and chief priests. Peter boldly, eloquently and intelligently defends the faith.

Luke, the narrator of Acts, makes an interesting observation concerning the Sanhedrin. “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.” (Acts 4:13-14).

Personal Transformation

The secret is out. Character transformation is a result of living day-by-day with Jesus. The three and a half years the disciples had spent with Jesus had converted them from mere nothings to the agents of God in spreading the good news.

They spoke boldly because they had been with Jesus. Their changed characters, intellectual abilities, wisdom, composure and fluent speech were the fruit of spending time with Jesus, listening to His teachings, participating in His suffering and adopting His attitude.

The Secret to Character Transformation

The good news is that God has not changed the formula for character transformation. Indeed, it is not the preserve of the dozen apostles. You, too, can undergo the same change by spending time with Jesus.

When you open your heart to Him in prayer, Bible study and meditation, and live out His teachings, people will notice that you have been with Jesus. You cannot be in His presence daily and remain the same in thought, speech and action. This is the secret to character transformation.

Prayer
Lord Jesus, keep me near the cross and continue transforming my character to reflect Yours.