Excited about…the Masons?

I saw my barber’s eyes light up for the first time in five years.  Every topic we discussed thus far in our relationship earned the expected nonchalant response.  That changed on Friday afternoon.  As I was paying him for buzzin’ my head, I noticed a paper weight with the Masonic “G” (short for GAUTO [Grand Architect of the Universe]).  When I inquired as to whether he was a Mason, Mr. “H” finally showed some emotion.  He was excited to talk about his involvement and was eager to answer the one question that I had.  His unexpected response “got me to a thinkin’.” 

When do people see me excited?  What causes me to light up?

I know how our third grade teacher would answer my questions.  Jodi!  She’s mentioned it before.  Jodi positively affects me–still!  I’m not ashamed to admit it!  I’m glad it shows!  I wonder, however, if my relationship with Christ also affects my  countenance.  Can others tell when I have been with Jesus? 

Next Sunday I am going to begin a three-month survey of the life of Christ at church.  My intense hope is that our study will do far more than affect our minds.  As necessary as that is, I deeply desire to see our emotions altered as well.  Rather than knowing more about Christ, I want to know Christ more.

I’ve always loved this passage:

“Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John, and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were marveling, and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus”  (Acts 4:13; NASB).

What did the Jewish leaders notice?  Confidence in “uneducated and untrained”  Peter and John because they had “been with Jesus”!  The difference that the Lord had made was visible!  May that be said of me! 

And there is a very practical reason for my daily pursuit of Christ in 2012!