But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.
“Once you had no identity as a people;
now you are God’s people.
Once you received no mercy;
now you have received God’s mercy.”
1 Peter 2:9-10 (NLT)
In John 1:42, Jesus changed Peter’s name from Simon (which means “God has heard”) to Peter (which means “Rock”). Jesus was having an “I see in you” conversation with Peter. He basically was saying to him “I see in you someone who will become the foundation of this movement.” or “I see in you stability and strength.” Jesus was pouring into Peter’s life what he wanted Peter to become.
Peter, years later, did the same thing to the early church. He was writing to the churches scattered around Asia Minor. He was having a similar “I see in you” conversation with them that Jesus had with him. He said “I see in you a chosen people. Royal priests a holy nation, God’s possession. You have received his mercy so go out and share his goodness with everyone around you.” He was pouring into their lives the truth of who they were.
These verses and many others pour the same truth into our lives. God sees in us, his believers, a chosen people. Royal priests called to share his goodness and his mercy. We are God’s possession and we are to be holy.
When you go about your day, are you living your life according to God’s call on it? Do you share encouraging words with others and remind them of who they are in Jesus? Do you lift them up the way God lifts you up and build them up so they too can step up to the call?
It’s a practice passed down from Jesus to Peter to the Early Church to us. Today, pray for the people you encounter and let the Holy Spirit speak words of life through you to them.