Casandra Martin

“Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.” – Acts 4:13

The question surprised me. Are you astonishing? If you are like me, you smile a little and quickly shake your head ‘no’.  Average – yes, amazing – no.

Here is the problem – average isn’t one of our options. You were meant to be astonishing. Your life in Christ is meant to capture the attention of others and pull it to Jesus. Amazing is supposed to be our norm. Why do we settle for blend in, fade away, and neutral?

The vibrant colors of God’s glory are the palette that He is using to paint the image of Jesus on your soul. The rich boldness of His grace embeds a startling Christ-infused aroma in your character. The intensity of His presence moves us from average to astonishing. If God is amazing, shouldn’t the people who live in His Spirit, walk by His power, and wear His name be something more than ordinary?

We push away the idea of being something other than average because we fear it means we are seeking the spotlight or glorying in our own pride. Being a Christian means something very different. Peter and John were astonishing because others could see they had been with Jesus. God wants us to be amazing in the same way.

My Jesus Resolution today is to surrender to the truth that God makes me astonishing. I am not ordinary, run-of-the-mill, average, or mediocre. I walk with Jesus. The Holy Spirit dwells within me. God’s presence, love, grace, and wisdom surround me and fill my spirit. This isn’t about me. I am meant to stand out, be amazing, and astonish others in order to draw their eyes to Jesus. “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” – Matthew 5:16