WEDNESDAY WEEKLY WORD ... How well do you know Him?

HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW PEOPLE? It is one thing to say "I know them", and a whole different thing to really know a person. What does it mean when we say we "know someone?"

There are two levels of knowing people ... the first level is just knowing who a person is. For instance, I know who Diane Sawyer is. I know who she is because of what I have seen on the news or read in the paper. But I don't really know who she is. I don't know what kind of person she is once she comes from behind the camera, I don't know what she believes in or what her convictions are. I don't even know if she does her own hair!

Anybody can match her name with her face. But if I really, REALLY knew Diane Sawyer, then I would know important things about her character, I would know what I could trust her with and how much I could confide in her.

It is really difficult to find someone that we truly can know. Recently, I had an encounter with someone that I thought I really knew, but some things about their character came to light and I quickly realized I didn't know this person as well as I thought I did.

I wish I could magically hold a key that would unlock what a person truly is like. If I possessed such a key, then I would know ahead of time exactly the time and the hour that someone was going to be genuine and when someone was going to be fake. A "key of knowledge" would also show me if someone had a gentle spirit or an angry one.

Last week in the YOUR OPINION MATTERS POLL, I polled the readers the following question about keys..."What would you most like to have a key to?" The response was:

1. 20% of the voters said that they would like a key to the locker room of a favorite sports team.
2. Another 20% voted and said a key to the vault at Fort Knox would be incredible to have.
3. 20% of those polled said that they would want a key to the Oval Office.

It would be pretty cool to have a key to one of these places, but how much more would it benefit us if we could hold a key to really knowing someone?

When I studied scripture this week, I realized that there is only one person Who we can truly know. He is not like any other that you will find.

MATTHEW 16:13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples. "Who do people say the Son of Man is?"

This may seem strange that Jesus was asking what others were saying about who He was. But how many times do we often wonder what others are thinking of us. When a couple is courting and is ready to take the next step, do they not ask each other..."Where is this relationship going?" or when you go in for your annual employment review, do you not ask "Do you think I am ready for a promotion?"

We want to know what others think or are saying.
Jesus wanted to know what others were saying.

But when it came right down to it, Jesus wanted to know what His disciples thought, the men that He spent time with everyday ... Who did they think Jesus was?

MATTHEW 16:16 Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."

Do you know Jesus? Really know Him? His hand is outstretched and all we have to do is accept it, by doing so we can truly get to know Who Christ is.

The Disciples knew Him in such a way,

how about you ... who do you say He is?

WEDNESDAY WEEKLY WORD is a weekly blog post dedicated to my personal reflections of a personal study that I am currently doing. This week, I meditated upon "Who do you say I am?" and I was challenged to live my life not by word alone but that my actions would tell people that I am a believer in Christ. I hope it challenges you as well to be all you can be for Christ in your world!

NEW POLL... be sure to vote in this weeks poll in the YOUR OPINION MATTERS POLL!