“But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” 

When Peter addresses the subject of making a difference in our witness, the focus point is the lordship of Jesus Christ. Our commitment to the lordship of Jesus Christ certainly is a matter of obedience, faithfulness and commitment, but above all is affection. Love God with all your heart. Love Him with your strength. Love Him with your mind.         

Colossians 3:2 “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.”(KJV)  Our desires, our attention, our attraction is all on the one we love. We love because God first loved us. How does that love show in our lives? Is Jesus our secret love or do people know it?           

When young people are infatuated with their boyfriends or girlfriends, they make it known. Even if it’s a secret love, it usually shows by the way they look at another. They think about this person, take notice of their actions, conversations and friendships. When that relationship moves from secret to more openness of their feelings, it also becomes more visible in their outward appearance. Sometimes they will advertise it on T-shirts with pictures, or lockets around their neck or friendship rings.

You can bet it is on Facebook and texts and Instagram pictures full of the love of their life. Their cell phone photos include background pictures with images of each other. They send text messages back and forth with emojis of endearment.           

When someone talks all the time of their girl or guy, I frankly get a bit turned off thinking - they don’t really understand the depth of love that comes from commitment through hard times. The strength of love endures by making tough decisions about finances, helping one another in sickness, in raising kids, and through the struggles of ego and pride and priorities that are life changing.           

The love/affection of mid-years shows itself differently than early love. To see the love of an older couple also has a richness, where such partnership has earned a respect; their lives are so intertwined, not in infatuation, but a deeper identity that comes with time of walking, talking and living in closeness together.           

Peter learned a lot when he was walking and talking and living together with Jesus. He learned about how his passions needed to be channeled into ways filled by the Holy Spirit instead of his fleshly zeal. He needed to sit and listen a lot more and speak a lot less until he knew Him of whom he spoke. He needed to know that even when he blows it, the love of Jesus toward him sustained him, forgave him, because Jesus was the very reason of his living. The priorities of Jesus changed his outlook toward family, vocation, and faith. Peter’s growing love for Jesus came from understanding the depth of Jesus’ love for Peter. This lordship issue was more important than life itself. Jesus was more than a devotional time in the morning, or temple time at mid-day. Jesus was to be lived through Peter and Peter wanted it that way.           

Perhaps the most significant conversation is found in John 21 when Jesus asked three times if Peter loves him. “You know that I do,” Peter replies. He is almost frustrated with Jesus who keeps facing him with the heart issue more than the call to action. The Greek words used included not only the affection of friendship, but also a commitment that was self giving. Why is it men have a harder time saying, "I love you." What is it about intimacy that make some people reserved? Maybe, when one gives their heart to another, they are no longer as much in control. They have given themselves away and that threatens control. That is exactly the point of Lordship. It is saying that I am off the throne of deciding what I want to do with Jesus and now He is in control of my affections and has desires of what He wants to do through me. For Peter it was to tend his sheep and catch men for the Kingdom.   

Love is more than advertising on a T-shirt or web page. When someone really loves another, people notice it. It would be impossible to hide Peter’s affection toward Jesus, even if he said no words. So, he writes to the Christians, “In your hearts set apart Christ as Lord.”     

Thought for today:   The beauty of the stain-glass windows of cathedrals are best seen when the light shines through them. It is the inner light that reflects the glory of Christ in your talking, walking, living and loving our Lord.