But What About You?

Mark 8:27-29 (NIV) – 27 Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, “Who do people say I am?” 28 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.” 29 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

Peter answered, “You are the Messiah.”

Our environment that affects us is external and internal. What happens externally can affect us. What happens internally actually affects us. We must be aware of our environment.

Jesus asks His disciples to tell Him how the environment out there is. What are people saying about Jesus? Are we successful in representing Jesus? We must know what people are saying!

If we know what people are saying, we will affirm them if they are right. If we know what people are saying, we will correct them if they are wrong. If we know what people are saying, we will clarify where there is confusion. Knowing what people are saying will make our ministry effective. You as a preacher and teacher, and even as evangelist, do you know what people are saying?

Don’t imagine what people are saying. If you imagine you will make mistakes. You may affirm where you should correct. You need to know what they are saying. Don’t guess, but know what people are saying.

The only way to know what people are saying is to interact with them. We must mingle with them. We must participate in their lives. We must be concerned about their concerns. Rejoice when they rejoice. Mourn when they mourn. Help where we can. When we win their confidence, they will open up and we will know what they are saying. If you can’t interact this deeply, you are not fit to serve God and you will guess but you won’t know what the people are saying. Do you know what people are saying?

Are you too clean to interact? Are you too important? Are you too holy? Are you too educated? If you can’t interact at their level, you won’t know what they are saying. If you don’t know what they are saying, you have failed in your God given assignment. Do you know what people are saying?

It’s not about collecting data through interviews, group discussions and questionnaires. It’s about showing respect, care, concern and true friendship. Only then will we know their deepest concerns and perspectives. Only then will they appreciate our solutions, affirmation, correction or clarification. Do you know what people are saying?

The next question Jesus asked was the most important. What about you? Who do you say I am? In other words, I hope you have not been influenced by what people say. Don’t be influenced by the crowd, verify the truth for yourself and stand by it. Know what they are saying but have the truth that may differ from the group. What about you, what are you saying?

When Jesus asked the second question, He drew a difference between the world and His disciples. There are people who are saying what you have reported, but there is you who are My disciples. You are not them and they are not you. There is what they are saying. What about you? What are you saying?

We should interact with people but we shouldn’t forget that we are in the world but not of the world. We should not be swallowed by their sinful tendencies and biases to the things of God. We interact and share daily life struggles but in matters faith and it’s practice, we are not them and they are not us. A difference not meant to offend them, though it may, but a difference meant to offer and attract them to a better alternative of life in Jesus. Know what they say, but have your biblically influenced say. What about you, what are you saying?

There is what they say about alcohol and drug abuse, but what about you? What are you saying? There is what they say about premarital and extramarital sex, but what about you? What are you saying? There is what they say about jewelry and suggestive dressing, but what about you? What are you saying?

There is what they say about the other race and tribe, but what about you? What are you saying? There is what they say about the church, but what about you? What are you saying? There is what they say about biblical teachings, but what about you? What are you saying? There is what they say about the Sabbath, but what about you? What are you saying?

There is what they say about secular music and it’s dances, but what about you? What are you saying? There is what they say about consulting witches and witch doctors, and even “prayer experts,” but what about you? What are you saying? There is what they say about cheating in exams and corruptly obtaining material property, but what about you? What are you saying?

What about you? What are you saying? What is your opinion? What is your conclusion? What is your position? In other words you must make up your mind on critical issues, so that you are not swayed anyhow. 

Dear God, grant us wisdom to know our external and internal environment. Save us from wrong influences. Save us from indecisiveness that leaves us with nothing to say. Lead us to firm reliable decisions and a clear position of what we are saying. In Jesus’s name, Amen!

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