“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. – Matthew 16:15-17

A pat on the back makes us feel good, doesn’t it?  Jesus congratulated Peter for his answer!  Peter won the prize… he got the cookie… he received accolades from Jesus.  But Peter wasn’t congratulated for what he said.  We know this because a few verses later Peter speaks his mind again.  When Jesus says that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer and die, Peter rebukes Him for speaking so gloomily.  Jesus equates Peter’s words with Satanic temptation.  Peter had not been congratulated because he spoke up…  he was congratulated because he allowed God to speak through him.  In the second instance, Peter spoke his own words and was chastised for it.  But when he spoke God’s Word, he was rewarded. 

My words, my thoughts, and my ideas can never bring about true change in a person’s heart.  Only God’s Word can do that.  This is the great struggle of the preacher.  Charisma and novelty draw crowds.  We tend to think that if we can say it louder, say it differently, or say it more creatively, then more people will be amazed by God’s truths.  From there it quickly becomes about that preacher’s style or brashness or insight.  We feel the need to subject the Word of God to our personal nuance so people will know that this teaching came from us.  My interpretation or presentation of the Word becomes more important than the Word, itself.  I begin to think that the Word cannot do its work apart from me.  Peter spoke what he thought was right and was rebuffed by Jesus.  But when Peter spoke God’s Word of Truth, he was rewarded. 

What flows out of your mouth?  Your own pride and vanity?  Or the truth of God’s Word.  It can be confrontational, confusing, or boring, but the power of God’s Spirit coupled with the truth of God’s Word are the only power to change lives for good.