If Jesus were sitting at your lunch table at school and asked these same questions, what kind of answers would you hear? Depending on which friends were there, you might hear something like: “A good teacher” or “Some guy from the Bible” or maybe even “The Son of God.” Then Jesus looks at you and says: “But what about you — who do you think I am?” Would you be as confident as Peter, able to answer almost before Jesus finishes the question?
Peter says the right words because Jesus really is the Messiah, God’s chosen one. But why would Jesus then say, “Shhh...don’t tell anyone”? Doesn’t Jesus want us to tell others who he is?
Or maybe Jesus knows that what we say with our mouths isn’t always backed up in our actions. Isn’t it easier to say “I’m a follower of Jesus” in the lunchroom than it is at a party Friday night after the game?
By Steve Cothran from d365.org