Day 302: Galatians 2:1–10

When James, Cephas, and John, recognized as pillars, acknowledged the grace that had been given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to me and Barnabas (v. 9).

Picture the five men mentioned in Galatians 2:9 conferring together and giving approval to one another: James, the unbelieving mocker turned preacher; Peter, the one sifted like wheat, denying Christ three times, then having enough faith to return and strengthen his brothers; John, the Son of Thunder, who asked if he could sit at Christ’s side in the kingdom and destroy the Samaritans with fire from heaven; Paul, a former religious madman who approved the murder of Stephen and helped fuel a persecution that resulted in James’s death; Barnabas, the son of encouragement, who risked getting hammered by the early church by building a bridge between unlikely brothers.

That’s just it. We’re all unlikely brothers. In Christ’s church, the pillars were never designed to match. Each one is distinct. What need would cookie-cutter disciples meet? None of us were meant to match. We were meant to fit together. Two identical puzzle pieces don’t “fit.” Oh, that we would celebrate that difference.

Do you remember what Paul said James, Peter, and John recognized in him that caused them to extend the right hand of fellowship? They “acknowledged the grace that had been given to me” (Gal. 2:9 hcsb). First Peter 4:10 echoes the same concept: “Based on the gift they have received, everyone should use it to serve others, as good managers of the varied grace of God” (hcsb). Beloved, we don’t have to agree on every single point of doctrine. We don’t even have to always get along. We just need to recognize that grace has been given to us all.

To fulfill our kingdom purposes on earth, we could all use a right hand of fellowship from others, couldn’t we? When I think back on those that God so graciously appointed to extend such a hand to me, I am deeply humbled and awed. I have been asked countless times how John Bisagno, the longtime pastor of my home church, handled this ministry coming out of his church. Beloved, he didn’t just handle it. He pushed it! For years the only reason people invited me to come to their church was because they trusted him!

Did Brother John know I had a lot to learn? Perhaps more than anyone else. So did my mentor, Marge Caldwell. Did he agree with everything I taught or did? I doubt it. Yet they both continued to work with me, give me a chance to grow, and let me develop into my own person and not cookie-cutter images of them. They each extended me the right hand of fellowship for one reason. They recognized the grace of God in my once broken life.

When LifeWay approached me with a contract to tape the first series, A Woman’s Heart: God’s Dwelling Place, I was pitifully wet behind the ears. I don’t know much about what I’m doing now, but I assure you I knew nothing then. I was petrified. The enemy came against me with such conflict and fear, I think I would have backed out had I not signed a contract. I felt like I needed advice desperately and needed someone to tell me whether my feelings were normal.

I still feel like an idiot over what I did next, but I was desperate. I called Kay Arthur’s office and asked to speak to her. I had no idea what I was doing. I had never seen her in person or had the privilege of taking one of her courses. Don’t get the idea that I in any way saw a comparison. I just wanted to talk to a woman who had taught the Word on videotape no matter what gulf of knowledge and experience separated us.

But God wasn’t about to let me get in touch with Kay Arthur. First of all, He wanted me to rely on Him alone. Furthermore, He knew He had already extended the right hand of fellowship to me through sufficient people. I also believe God knew how extremely impressionable I was at that time and that I had not yet allowed Him to fully develop my style. I have so much respect for Kay that if I could have, I would have wanted God to make me just like her. What need whatsoever would God have had for such a thing? Kay does an excellent job of being Kay, so why on earth would God have wanted me to approach Bible study in exactly the same way? He already had her!

Today I could pick up the phone and call Kay, and we could laugh and talk for an hour if we had the time. But through the years both of us felt the call of God to do something far more public. Each of us has gone out of our way to demonstrate that we are united in Christ Jesus and we serve the same God . . . albeit with different styles. I have taught some of her books. Kay has invited me to several of her conferences to lead prayer and to speak. She has extended to me something more precious than gold: the right hand of fellowship. She knows I have a lot to learn. We wouldn’t agree on every interpretation. She is simply a woman who recognizes grace when she sees it. I am so grateful.

Fourteen years lapsed between the time Paul first tried to fit in with the apostles and when he finally received the right hand of fellowship. I’d like to suggest the hand didn’t come a moment behind schedule. What use would God have had for Paul if he simply turned out to be another James? Another Peter? Another John? His mission was distinct. And so, Beloved, is yours. God knows what He’s doing! Trust Him. God is busy making you someone no one else has ever been.