John 21:20-23 Part 3

One of the many things that blesses and encourages me about the many personalities of the Bible, whether Old or New Testament, is how God redeems and uses ALL kinds! Every one of them was flawed and sinful – each one had highs and lows. And, throughout their lives, the consistency was God’s faithfulness, not theirs. I am so thankful that God chooses regular folks like you and me. It’s through the ordinary that He does the extraordinary.

So today, as we look at this picture of Peter and John, we’ll focus on their different personalities and styles that God used to build His Church in the first century. We have already seen that Peter was not just interested in his own future with Jesus, but really wanted to know what was going to happen with John.

Jon Courson, in his Application Commentary: New Testament, points out that these disciples showed their unique personalities even when they were first called to discipleship. He writes, “Peter was casting his net into the sea (Matthew 4:18). ‘Follow Me and I’ll make you a fisher of men,’ Jesus said. And indeed Peter became an evangelist who would bring many people into the kingdom – three thousand saved during his first sermon alone. John, on the other hand, wasn’t casting his net. He was mending nets (Matthew 4:21). And John would go on to mend people, as he taught, preached, and practiced love. These two were very different in ministry, in mentality, in temperament, in personality. But you know what? God used them both.” (Courson, P. 607)

Peter was an activist. He was the one who would charge ahead to get things done. John, was a thinker and a watcher. He mulled things over for their significance. He filtered everything through love. There is a need for both personalities and ministry types.

I’m much more a Peter than a John. I used to bemoan that fact. I had such wonderful women role models in my church when I was a new Christian, 36 years ago. These women were humble, soft spoken, hard working servants of Christ, who quietly loved and served the LORD with all their hearts. I used to pray that God would make me more like them. I am anything BUT quiet! I was mistaking personality for character. It took me years to realize that I was NEVER going to be soft spoken or contemplative. I’m an activist through and through! But I’m so grateful for my dear friends who are “Johns.” I need their steady peace and loving support. They are the ones who hold me accountable!

Isn’t God amazing how He created such variety in His world? Not only in nature, but in the unique personalities that He knit into each of us. No two are alike! Thank you, LORD, that you used both Peter and John, and Paul, and Moses, and Abraham, and Esther, and David, and Rahab, and Joseph, and all the Marys, and Martha. And You use even me!