https://anchor.fm/pastor-john-van-gorkom/episodes/CHOOSE-THE-RIGHT-HAT-euhvm9

LifeLink Devotional

Friday, April 9, 2021

I have a variety of hats. Each one has an assigned context.  My red Wisconsin Badgers hat matches my golf bag. My beige hat with the words “I’d rather be fishing” is my work-around-the-yard hat. I have two floppy brimmed hats for the boat when I’m fishing. I also have two hats I never wear. One is a navy blue Detroit Tigers hat with an autograph of Al Kaline in it. The other is a Green Bay Packer Super Bowl champion hat I won. The reason for not wearing that hat is obvious if you know me.

I have lots of other hats also, with a variety of logos or words on them, but I use those for work hats because they don’t necessarily represent me. Most of the time, we choose to wear hats that identify us in some way, either as a fan of a team or a customer of a company.

Just like hats, Jesus told us that there would be characteristics of our lives that we would wear to publicly identify us as His followers. The most obvious one is love. Jesus said that the world will know we are Christians by our love.

However, in the context of John chapter fourteen which we have been studying this week, Jesus reveals another “hat” we wear.

John 14:27  “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”

Let’s review the context. Jesus told the disciples He was leaving. He assured them they were not being abandoned. He revealed the Helper to them, whom the Father would send to abide in them as a constant encourager and teacher. The Holy Spirit would manifest the life of Jesus to them. Then, in a profound statement that is backed up by His own example, Jesus says that His life in them would provide them the same level of peace that He was experiencing as He prepared to be crucified. All I can say is, WOW!”

Yesterday I saw a post of Facebook that bothered me. Christian people complaining about the outcome of the Tuesday election. One even said that they didn’t know what to do anymore. I posted a comment. “Read the end of THE BOOK and then trust God.”

My friends, what if we wore the hat of peace every day to identify us as followers of Jesus. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, suffered at the hands of human government and religious tyranny. Yet He was at peace knowing that He was accomplishing the Father’s purpose. And in preparation for His suffering, He gave peace to His disciples. He promised His presence in each of our lives so we could know and experience His peace.

Why do we wear hats that identify us as discouraged, grumpy, critical, controlling, or hopeless, when we could be wearing the hat of peace? As a follower of Christ, you own that hat. Put it on.

Pastor John