2 Peter 1:1 Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours.

I have read this chapter countless times, and verse 9 has had a massive influence on my own walk, but just now it struck me that Simon Peter is putting his readers, that is, us, on the same level as himself. This is the man who was the leader of the 12, the speaker at Pentecost, and is now considered the first Pope! We speak rather glibly of equality, and recently equity has been quite a buzzword, but this strikes me as taking the cake! Of course he is speaking of our faith, and what we do with the faith we have been given is our own responsibility, but what God gives us is equal. Peter has always been an encouragement to me because he was so manifestly human. Even with all his flaws, God chose him and used him mightily. When God can do that with someone like Peter, He can do it with us! When God used him even after he denied three times that he even knew Jesus, there is always hope for us! He is actually a good illustration of a major issue today. Those who are insisting on “equity” are thinking in terms of equality of outcome, when genuine equality is a matter of opportunity. God offers exactly the same kind of faith to every human being, which is to say, equality of opportunity. Whether we receive that faith and apply it is up to us. Saving faith is very simple, being nothing more than knowing that you need salvation, and that God has provided it through His Son for all who will repent and believe. Sometimes we fall down in the area of understanding our own need, and sometimes we fall down in the area of trusting God’s provision, but the opportunity is there, none the less. Peter is addressing all who have said yes to God’s offer of faith.

I am an illustration of this, because I was raised in an atmosphere of faith, proclaiming my love for Jesus at five and being baptized by my own choice at seven, but I wasn’t very good at applying that faith in my daily living. As I have written many times, pride was a huge snare for me, and made my faith largely ineffective for a while. However, God is incredibly gracious. Amazing Grace isn’t just a song, it’s my testimony! As I seek to share Christ with the Japanese people, a common response is that they like me and admire me, but they don’t think they could ever be like me, because I am a Caucasian, and as such, “other.” I can only pray that the Holy Spirit would open their eyes to see the genuine equality of all mankind, and thus understand that God’s love and grace and salvation are just as available to them as they are to me. It is manifestly obvious that I can’t make that happen by my power or words, but God can use even me to do it, so I’ve got to be humbly submitted and available, for whatever God wants to do through me.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the many times and the many ways You have indeed used me. Help me be increasingly available to You for whatever You want to do through me, for the salvation and blessing of many, and for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!