Devotion #10 – Are you a key or are you a door? 🔑 🚪

History shows us that after Jesus time on earth, Peter became a missionary to the Jews, and Paul after his conversion became a missionary to the gentiles.

Peter and Paul loved Jesus dearly but they didn’t always agree with each other. In Galatians 2:11-13 we get a glimpse into their disagreements as to what Gentiles should and shouldn’t do to make Jesus their Messiah, as an example.

How could two people who had a personal encounter and radical experience of Jesus be so different in their approach and ministry?

I wonder if it’s because their passion and call meant they saw things differently…

Peter was a key for the Jews. The Jews had the door (God) but they didn’t have the key. They knew the Messiah was coming but they did not recognize him when He came. Peter was passionate about showing them.

Paul was a door for the gentiles. They never thought the savior was for them
because they had always been told the Messiah was for the Jews. But Paul had the revelation that Jesus came for everyone. He was a door and showed those who didn’t know God the true door- Jesus!

This made me wonder. Are you a key or are you a door? And why is it important?

Here’s why….

If you try to be a key when you’re meant to be a door, everything will be locked to you. You will feel like you are failing because you’re trying to be something that you’re not. When you feel you’ve failed, maybe you haven’t. Maybe you’re trying to be a door when you’re meant to be a key!

A key could be described as someone who is passionate about the local church, Gods people, those who know of God or have some sort of experience of God.

A door could be considered someone who is passionate about travelling to unreached people groups, seeing people come to salvation that have no experience of God.

THEY BOTH DO THE SAME
THING – JUST IN DIFFERENT WAYS

But here’s the thing. Evangelism IS NOT JUST FOR DOORS!!! Evangelism is both a key and a door, they just work differently!

For example, It’s easy to think that to be a missionary means to go out and preach the Gospel. But I believe it’s more than that. The focus in Matthew 28:19-20 isn’t the “go”. The command is to“make disciples”!

You don’t have to travel to a different nation to make disciples! You can make disciples wherever you’re planted.

If you’re a key and you try to be a door when making disciples, you won’t have much success.

I am sharing this with you to take the pressure off yourself. If you have been comparing yourself to what someone else’s ministry expression looks like- and thinking you might be failing- maybe it’s not because you’re doing something wrong! It could be because they are a 🔑 and you are a 🚪!

Be free to explore what that looks like, in church, in your workplace, in your community groups, with your neighbors, on the bus or on the train…. and don’t try to conform to that which looks better or more productive on someone else.