Are You Avoiding God's Call?

“I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.” (Luke 5:32)

Peter was a model Jew.

He did his best to follow the Law and everything it required. Yet, even after walking with Jesus—through His life, death, and resurrection—Peter still grappled with what it all meant. He still believed that the Messiah was sent only for the Jews.

But God was showing Peter something greater. Peter’s vision of the unclean animals must have left him confused. Consume meat that God had commanded the Jews not to eat? Certainly not! He protested, “I have never eaten anything that our Jewish laws have declared impure and unclean,” (Acts 10:14). God reprimanded him:

“Do not call something unclean if God has made it clean.” (Acts 10:15)

I wonder—how often have we done the same thing? Surely God would never call us to go to uncomfortable places or invest time with people who didn’t share our convictions. Or would He? 

Jesus gave us a clear example to follow. He ate with tax collectors, talked with people who weren’t Jewish (or even religious), and purposefully walked through Samaria just so He could meet a woman with a reputation by a community well. In Luke 5:31, He told the Pharisees (highly renowned Bible teachers of the day), “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do.”

God didn’t question Peter’s devotion to Him. He knew Peter loved Him. God was changing his perspective. He wanted Peter to see His plan—for the whole world, not just the Jews.

"God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3:17)

Peter didn’t have to wait long before realizing what God was trying to show him. He learned that Cornelius wanted to hear the Gospel—not a Pharisee or a Jew, but a Roman soldier! Someone Peter considered an enemy. But the Bible tells us that Cornelius was a “devout, God-fearing man” (Acts 10:2), who prayed and served the poor (Acts 10:4). He just hadn’t heard about Jesus. And God chose Peter to share the good news with him.

As I re-evaluated my own walk and motives, I asked some hard questions: Have I avoided going places where God is leading me simply because I didn’t want to be seen there? Were there times when I walked by someone and looked the other way? Have I ever ignored the Holy Spirit’s nudge to invite someone to church because of their background?

The truth is, I’m a lot like Peter. I’m guilty of condemning someone when God wants me to give them hope through the Gospel. I’ve avoided opportunities to bring light into dark places. I’ve failed to see what God sees—a person’s heart. I’ve called things “unclean” that He has called clean. 

Is God asking you to share His love and grace with someone unexpected? Or is He prompting you to go somewhere that is out of your comfort zone? If you are hesitant about stepping out in faith, you are not alone. But let me challenge you to consider this: what might God want to do through you if you take that step of faith? I can guarantee that, as you do, the Holy Spirit will be right there with you every step of the way. 

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Scripture is quoted from the Holy Bible New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.